Burning Flames of Love and Hate
by Spider-bear
Summary: S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team is sent into Raccoon City's forest zone to investigate some strange murders. Their chopper crashes and Rebecca Chambers has to join a fugitive and together they unveil the hidden horrors of the Umbrella Corporation. NO LEMONS!
1. Enter Hell

Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the things that were in the game, but JASON AND KATE, LAUREN, AND TOM ARE MINE AND YOU CAN'T TAKE THEM AWAY FROM ME!!!  THEY ARE MY OWN!  My…..PPPPPPPRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!   Heh heh….*ahem* Sorry about my outburst of Gollum but "Lord of the Rings" is my favorite movie!  Enjoy my story that probably needs a better title!  

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"Burning Flames of Love and Hate" 

Chapter 1 

**Enter Hell **

It was 8:17 P.M. on July 23, 1998 in the forest of Raccoon City, a midwestern town in America.  A train sped along the tracks carrying the Umbrella Corporation employees to the training facility.  The train wasn't very full so it was fairly quiet even though everyone was cheerfully chatting away with each other not knowing that they were being watched.  One employee sat by himself reading the newspaper.  He was the one person on the train that had experience working with the Umbrella Corporation.  Everyone else on the train were brand-new employees that he had to baby-sit.  He sighed and shook his head as she read the headlines:  _"The Evil Continues!" _ Recently, there have been bizarre murders in the suburbs of Raccoon City.  People have been found dead in their homes, eaten alive.  Some witnesses said that the families were attacked by a group of about ten people.  "More of those weird murders," the employee thought, "All of the people who have been murdered seem to live somewhere near the forest zone of Raccoon City.  I wonder-" A look of fear appeared across his face, "They were attacked by a group of unidentified people!  They were all eaten!  Could it be that an accident happened at the-" he shook his head, "No.  That's impossible.  Everything is so high strung there that nothing could possibly go wrong!"  But the paranoid thought still danced around his head.  

            He felt the train turn another corner in the dark forest and heard the faint serenade of a female, opera-sounding voice.  He set his newspaper down into the seat next to him and straightened his glasses.  He looked out the window, trying to find the source of the voice.  He heard a splat and saw a gray leech-like creature about the size of his fist sticking to the window.  He was staring straight at its pink and gray underside.  A small hole opened up on its stomach and showed a mouth filled with razor sharp fangs.  The employee screamed and ran away from the window as dozens of leeches started covering the window.  There was a shatter of glass and hundreds of leeches fell into the train, attacking everyone.  Everyone screamed out in terror and pain as the leeches covered them, tearing up their skin and sucking out their blood.  The drivers were attacked as well and in their frantic attempts to get the leeches off of them, they managed to press the button for the brakes.  Not far away, a young man stood on a cliff wearing some sort of white robe and a blue pendant around his neck.  He looked down at the slowing train and smiled as he continued to sing.  

            Two hours later, the Raccoon Police Department (RPD) dispatched their S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Squad) Bravo team to investigate the forest in the mountains for any clues to the grizzly murders.  Their helicopter soared over the forest carrying the seven S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team members: Kevin Dooley, the pilot, Edward Dewey, the co-pilot, Forest Speyer, the team's vehicle specialist, Kenneth Sullivan, the field scout, Enrico Marini, the team leader, Richard Aiken, the communications expert, and Rebecca Chambers, the medic.  Rebecca's white bullet proof vest had a red cross with the word "RESCUE" printed on the back.  Her green combat pants marched her shirt and boots.  Her hair was a reddish-brown color that didn't even reach down to her shoulders.  She wore a red choker around her neck and small non-dangly diamond earrings.  Rebecca was the youngest member of both the S.T.A.R.S. teams.  She was eighteen and just graduated from college.  She graduated from high school when she was sixteen.  She skipped her sophomore and junior years in high school and college.  The rest of Bravo team were in their twenties with the exception of Enrico and Kenneth who were in their forties.  This was Rebecca's very first mission and she didn't know what to expect.  She was a little glad that RPD sent her team out on the assignment instead of Alpha Team.  "My first mission," she thought to herself, "I hope that we don't run into too much trouble."  

            Her thoughts were soon interrupted when she heard a small explosion and felt a jolt.  The beeping of warning sounds filled her ears.  "What's going on?"  Enrico demanded.  

            "Engine failure!" Edward answered, "Emergency landing!" Edward and Kevin quickly tried to land the chopper in a small clearing in the trees.  The tail of the chopper hit a tree, snapping off the propeller and the part of the tail that it was attached to.  This added damage caused the chopper to fall spinning to the ground.  The chopper landed right side up but tilted on the grass.  Everyone was alive and uninjured.  Kevin stayed in the helicopter and saluted everyone as they hopped out of the helicopter.  Rebecca gave Kevin a thumbs up in return before jumping out and closing the door.  

            Everyone had their pistols out and studied their surroundings with the smoking chopper behind them.  Enrico broke the silence, "Check the current position and investigate the surrounding area."  Everyone obeyed and started searching the forest.  Rebecca stayed close beside Enrico.  She looked around and saw an overturned MP truck and the bodies of two soldiers.  

            "Captain, look!" Rebecca informed.  Everyone walked over to the gruesome site.  Both the dead men still had their eyes open and had bite marks and torn flesh covering the bodies.  Enrico was studying them when Rebecca called him again.  

            "What happened?" Enrico replied, walking over to the young rookie cop.  Clear slime oozed down the side of the truck.  Rebecca pulled a clipboard out of a silver briefcase and read the document out loud as the team gathered around her.  Everyone towered five to nine inches above her.  

            "Court Order for Transportation," Rebecca read, "Prisoner: Billy Coen.  Ex-Lieutenant.  26 years old.  Court marshaled and sentenced to death July 22nd.  Prisoner is to be transported to Ragarthon base for execution."  Edward took the clipboard and looked at the picture of Billy.  

            "Those poor soldiers," Edward commented shaking his head, "They were good men just doing their jobs and then that SCUM murdered them and escaped!"  Enrico grabbed the clipboard from Edward's hands. 

            "Alright everyone," Enrico stated while studying the picture, "Let's separate and survey the surrounding area.  Our friend is brutal and ruthless.  Keep your guard up!" 

            Rebecca looked around the forest all alone.  The only light she could see came from her gun.  She heard a rustle in the bushes behind her.  She quickly turned and looked past the white light.  "A train?" Rebecca thought out loud when she saw it sitting motionless on the tracks.  She slowly walked up to the train as it started to rain.  She took a deep breath and got inside.  

            It was dark and quiet inside-too quiet.  She didn't see anyone anywhere.  She noticed bloodstains on the floor and seats.  Her grip on her pistol tightened as she opened a door to the to other side of the car and stepped inside.  This passenger car's lights were still on and a stairway leading to the upper floor stood next to her.  She felt calmer when she a heard a female voice.  "This is officer Chambers from S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team," Rebecca said to the voice, "Please identify yourself," The voice continued to speak, but not to Rebecca, "Is someone there?"  Rebecca approached the voice.  She turned to the seat that the voice was coming from and gasped.  There sat the corpse of a male adult with his head leaning up against the window.  He was decomposed so much that his skin was a sickening gray and his eyes were clouded.  Some of his flesh was already gone or coming off because of the small bite marks all over him along with the stage of decomposition he was in.  She looked down at the seat and saw a small radio.  "This is where the voice was coming from." Rebecca thought as she picked it up.  She turned her back on the corpse and turned off the radio.  As she silenced the voice, another sound emerged from behind her: moaning.  She quickly turned around to see the corpse staggering toward her with its arms outstretched.  The moment she turned away from it and started to run down the aisle, she ran into two other corpses standing behind her: the conductor and a passenger.  The conductor grabbed Rebecca's shoulders.  It opened its gangrene mouth and started biting her neck.  She cried out in fear and pain as it ripped through her flesh and tore off her choker.  It bit her two or three times until she was able to push it off of her.  The corpse fell backward, knocking over its comrade.  Rebecca whipped out her gun and opened fire on the approaching corpse behind her.  She hit it once in the chest.  Blood splattered onto the floor, but the bullet seemed to have no effect.  She shot it four more times until it dropped to the floor.  Rebecca turned back around and emptied the rest of the 15-round clip on the other passenger and the conductor.  Rebecca stood frozen in the aisle still pointing her empty pistol at the three dead monsters.  She reached up and felt the bite mark on her neck.  She pulled her hand away and stared at her blood and then at the corpses.  "What just happened?" Rebecca pondered in horror, "I-I thought they were dead!"  She couldn't stand being in that room anymore.  She quickly reloaded her gun and darted for the door to the next car.  

            On the other side of the door, she was greeted by the crunch of broken glass under her feet.  The window next to her was shattered and the rain was pouring inside.  Rebecca turned a corner and found a hallway with two doors off to the side.  She cautiously walked to one door and opened it.  It was a very small room with a bunk bed, and a sink.  Papers and bags were scattered all over the place.  She eyed a corpse on the lower bunk suspiciously.  A diary sat on the sink next to Rebecca.  She picked it up and read it: 

"July 14th 

Orders came from the boss today.  Looks like we're in charge of investigating the remains of the Arklay Mountains laboratory.  

We're moving in two groups, with us in the initial group, assigned to start checking what's left of the abandoned experiment.  

July 16th 

            Unfortunately, the test production of B.O.W. (Type-Y139) had to be suspended because of this investigation.  It's the same with Type-Y139.  There's still so much we don't know about responses to the crustacean t-virus.  There's a lot of interesting research left…Depending on the species and nurturing conditions, only minute doses of the "t" bring about remarkable changes in solidity, size, multiplication of internal toxins and brain development.  If these effects can be controlled, a powerful weapon could be produced.  But the sudden development of the shell results in a corresponding fragility.  Certain areas become exceedingly weak.  

            Problematically, one of these areas is the head carapace.  This lab we were going to - were they pursuing the same research?  It would certainly help to find data and samples that would help us in our research.   

June 19th

            The day is finally approaching…I am growing more anxious.  

            The Raccoon City newspapers and TV stations are full of reports about the bizarre murders in the suburbs.  

            It can't be the virus, can it?  If it is…No.  I can't think about that now.  I have to concentrate on this investigation and make sure it goes smoothly." 

            "Research?  B.O.W.s?  T-virus?  What is going on here?"  Rebecca wondered.  She set the diary down and walked out the door.  She entered the room next door and felt very safe inside.  There was another bunk bed but no corpse laid anywhere in the room.  She found a file on the bed.  It was stained with blood and some of the sections were illegible, but she tried to read it: 

"Investigation Orders

8 miles north of Raccoon City, in the Arklay Mountains, lies our comp ny's Management Training facility.  It was shut down   years ag . 

            Now, w  are conducting a preliminary  tudy into the re-opening of the faci ities.  First Investigation Unit is alre dy on-site and opening th investi ation, I want yo r team to provide suppo t.  

            The following orders  re Will  m Bark   and 1s  I ves  gat o  Un t." 

The rest was torn and unreadable.  Rebecca didn't even want to think about this one.  A desk sat next to the bed and on it were unused tissues, papers, typewriter, ink ribbon, and a first aid spray.  "First aid spray?" Rebecca thought.  She felt a drop of blood trickle down her green S.T.A.R.S. t-shirt and suddenly remember the wound on her neck.  She looked at the back of the spray can and read the directions.  " 'Just shake and spray on.  Completely heals all gashes, open wounds and broken bones.  Cures any venom or poison in the wound.  The amount of spray needed depends on the intensity of the wound.  Made from the genetically enhanced Mbiriri and red and green Ngendo herbs.'  Mbiriri and Ngendo herbs?  Never heard of them."  The can showed a picture of a red Ngendo herb, a green Ngendo herb, and the blue Mbiriri herb.  Besides the color difference, they all looked exactly the same.  Rebecca shook the canister, took off the cap, and sprayed it on her neck.  She screamed in pain as she felt the sizzling sensation on her neck.  She turned to the mirror mounted on the wall and watched in amazement as skin started forming on the wound.  The burning pain faded away as the wound got smaller and smaller until it disappeared.  She felt where the wound used to be.  It was as if nothing had ever touched her.  Rebecca grabbed a tissue and wiped the excess blood away from her shirt and shoulder where the blood drizzled.  She put the rest of her first aid spray in her medical fanny pack and walked out of the room.  Rebecca continued down the hallway and found an open door with luggage spilling out of it.  Next to the open door was a locked door labeled, "Conductor's Cabin".  The girl turned a corner and found another locked door with a card reader next to it.  Next to the door was another corpse.  The male waiter was badly torn up. She saw a key in his hand labeled "Dining Car".  She bent down and took it.  She was about to stand up when she heard footsteps behind her.  She turned her head and saw Billy Coen standing behind her pointing a gun at her.  His dog tags hung loosely around his neck.  He was wearing a purple tank top and a pair of jeans with a red leather belt.  His jeans covered most of what looked like blue cowboy boots.  His straight dark hair was longer than hers.  It was combed back and stopped a little bit passed the base of his neck. Making him look like a rock star.  He was six feet tall and Rebecca was only 5'6".  He was a very muscular and very handsome man.  He also had a long, squiggly, black tattoo that ran from his right shoulder down to his wrist.  At a certain angle, the tattoo spelled out, "Mother Love".  The tattoo only touched the top part of his arm. "Billy," Rebecca said while standing up to face him, "Lieutenant Coen." 

            "So, you seem to know me," Billy answered in a deep and seductive voice, "Been fantasizing about me have you?" Billy smiled.  

            "You were the prisoner being transported for execution.  You were with the soldiers outside." 

            "Oh, I see.  You're with S.T.A.R.S.," Billy put his pistol in his back pocket, "Well, no offense Honey, but your kind doesn't seem to want me around.  So, I'm afraid our little chat time is over." Billy walked away from Rebecca.  She followed behind him.  

            "Wait!" Rebecca ordered, "You're under arrest!"  Billy stopped and turned to her.  

            "No thanks, Doll face," Billy said with a smirk, "I've already worn handcuffs."  He raised his left arm up showing handcuffs hanging off his wrist.  He walked down the hall.  

            "I could shoot, you know!" Rebecca shot back as he walked in the next car.  She turned away and let out a long sigh.  She felt like such a dork for the way she acted around Billy.  As if she would really be able to control him when she acted like a little girl trying to play "Cops and Robbers"!  "Why didn't I even try to arrest that jerk?" Rebecca thought to herself, "Oh no!  I can't be attracted to that asshole!  I can't!  Just because he's really hot and has a sexy voice-AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGG!!!!!!"  She turned around when she heard a crash behind her.  She saw Edward sitting himself up against the wall with the broken window above his head.  He had bites and gashes all over him. "Edward!" Rebecca ran to his side, "Are you all right?  What happened?" 

            "It's worse than-" Edward tried to answer through the pain that surged throughout his entire body.  Rebecca was fumbling around trying to find the first aid spray in her pack, "We can't….You must be careful, Rebecca.  The forest is filled with z-zombies…..and monsters." 

            "Zombies and monsters?" Rebecca thought, "Those things are out there too?!"  Edward closed his eyes and went limp.  Rebecca shook his shoulder trying to wake him up, but it was too late.  He was dead.  Rebecca screamed as the window smashed above her head.  She opened her eyes and saw a rotting Doberman.  Its half skull of a face growled and its mouth foamed.  Rebecca stood up and pulled out her gun.  The dog leapt at her and she opened fired.  She shot the dog three times in the chest and it was dead before it hit the floor.  She ran through the hallway, rage pulsing through her.  Another dog leapt through the window and Rebecca was ready for him.  "EAT THIS YOU LITTLE SON OF A BITCH!" She shot it once in the head, causing its head to explode.  She felt the sweet taste of vengeance as she ran to the end of the hall and into the next car.  

            Two zombies approached her.  She shot both of them in the neck.  The bullets ripped though their spinal cords, killing them both in one shot each.  Rebecca jogged into the other passenger car where she first entered the train.  Her radio started beeping and she took it out to answer it.  

            "This is Rebecca.  Over," Rebecca answered.  She heard Enrico's voice on the other end, but the frequency was full of static, so she couldn't understand him.  She pressed some buttons until he was understandable, "Enrico?  Hello?  Can you hear me?  Please respond!" 

            "Rebecca, I can hear you," Enrico answered, "Now listen up.  We've obtained detailed information on the fugitive from the document found in the wrecked wagon.  Billy Coen killed as many as 23 people.  Over." 

            "Twenty….three…people?" Rebecca thought out loud in utter shock.  

            "We have also confirmed that he was institutionalized, so keep your guard up!  Can you hear me Rebecca.  Over?" Rebecca just stood quietly, "Stay alert, Rebecca and don't think twice before killing him!"  

"Enrico!  Captain!  Hello?  Hello?!"  Rebecca frantically pushed some buttons, trying to talk to Enrico again, but she couldn't contact him.  At the end of the car, she saw another sliding door labeled, "Dining Car".  "I knew it!" Rebecca thought with a smile as she ran to the door.  She pulled the key out of her pocket and unlocked the door.  She tossed the key behind her and was just about to open the door when she felt cold hands on her shoulders from behind her.  She elbowed the zombie in the stomach, forcing his head forward over her shoulder, missing her entirely.  She slammed the back of her fist into its forehead, spun around and delivered a left hook to its nose.  She heard the creature's nose snap as it fell to the ground.  Blood poured from its broken nose as it started to get back up.  Rebecca quickly shot it in the head, leaving a large hole in its fragile skull.  She smiled and walked into the dining car.  

Rebecca found herself in a small room with an automatic door in front of her and a stairway next to it.  The red light above the automatic door showed that it was off, so she couldn't get in.  She heard a voice behind her say, "It's going to be dangerous from here on in," Rebecca spun around and aimed at Billy.  Billy quickly thrust his hand forward and pushed Rebecca's hand up so she missed and fired the shot into the ceiling.  He knocked the gun out of her hands and held her hands behind her back with one hand.  He quickly pulled out a large survival knife and held it to her throat before she could react.  

"Don't be so feisty, Sweetheart.  Why don't we cooperate?" Billy asked with a smile. 

"Cooperate with you?" Rebecca shot back.  

"Listen little girl.  In you haven't noticed there are some pretty freaked out things on this train and I, for one, want to get out of here.  I don't think that we stand a chance doing it alone." 

"You expect me to trust you, a wanted felon?  I don't need your help.  I can handle this on my own.  And don't call me little girl!"  Billy released her from his grip and put his knife away. 

"Alright, 'Miss Do It Yourself'.  What should I call you?" 

"The name is Rebecca Chambers!" Rebecca spat back at him, "But that's Officer Chambers to you!" 

"Well then, Rebecca, why don't you go and try while I wait here."  Billy leaned up against the sliding door and watched Rebecca as she walked to the stairway.  She noticed a paper sitting on what looked like a bedside table.  She picked it up and read it: 

"Notice to Supervisors 

            When closing the dining car, supervisors are asked to switch off the automatic doors after ensuring all staff have vacated the car.  The main automatic door power switch is located on the roof of the fifth car.  

            Inspections will take place when the train is garaged.  After inspections are complete, use the ladder at the rear of the second floor of the dining car.  

Umbrella Corp. 

Maintenance Department" 

"Great!  Now I can turn that stupid door on!" Rebecca thought as she crumpled up the piece of paper into a ball.   

            "Well are you going to get going or aren't you?" Billy commented.  Rebecca shot him an aggravated look at threw the ball at his face.  

"SHUT UP!"  Billy chuckled as Rebecca turned around and started walking up the stairs.  She couldn't help but have the feeling that Billy was staring at her butt as she walked.  

"Yo, Rebecca!" Billy called after her.  Rebecca turned around to see him twirling her gun on his finger, "Forgetting something?" He tossed Rebecca her weapon and kissed the air in her direction.  She caught the gun with one hand and gave him the finger with the other before she stormed off up the stairs and into the second floor.  

Rebecca looked around the quiet room.  It was a dining room by the looks of it.  The only light in the room came from one of the tablecloths in the corner of the room that was on fire.  She looked to the back of the room and saw a man that looked to be in his sixties sitting at a table.  He sat quietly and didn't seem to notice that Rebecca was there.  He looked perfectly normal and this relieved Rebecca.  She walked up to the man.  "Um…Excuse me sir," Rebecca said to him.  He gave no answer.  "Sir?" Rebecca shook his shoulder a little bit.  The man slowly lifted his head up to look at Rebecca.  When he turned his head to her, his head twisted off and fell to the floor!  Rebecca screamed as his entire body fell apart into a pile of leeches!  The leeches rose up into a column and split in several places forming a human body.  Then the head of the man rose up onto the neck of the leech mass.  The head was now rotten and had clouded eyes.  It started wobbling after her.  The way it moved gave away that it had no type of skeletal structure.  Rebecca quickly pulled out her gun and started firing at the monster.  It didn't' seem to have any effect.  Rebecca was horrified when she heard the click of her empty gun.  She searched her pockets, but she found no ammo!  She cried out as the monster exploded into hundreds of leeches and came hopping after her.  They crawled up her legs and covered her entire body.  

She was thinking that she was about to die until she heard two gunshots and the leeches fell off of her in dead heap.  She stood on her hands and knees breathing heavily.  She looked up to see Billy standing by the stairs with a smoking pistol in hand.  Two leeches leaped from the pile at Billy.  Billy jumped to the side and shot them both using only two bullets.  He grunted as he hit the floor and skidded to a stop on his side.  He got back up and walked over to Rebecca.  "Are you okay?" Billy asked.  Rebecca looked up at him and gave him a thumbs up.  Billy grinned a little as Rebecca stood up.  They both looked out the window as they heard a singing voice.  It sounded like an opera voice.  They saw the dark silhouette of a man wearing a white robe with the leeches crawling over to him.  He silenced his voice and in a flash of lightning they saw the face of the man who sang.  He looked very young: in his early twenties.  His long, straight, dark hair came past his shoulders.  "Who is that guy?" Billy asked.  They suddenly felt a jolt as the train started moving.  

"What's going on?" Rebecca asked, "Who's controlling the train?" 

"Go and check out the first engine car," Billy ordered as Rebecca ran for the window. 

"I can't!  That door is locked!  There is a power source on the top of this car and I need to turn it on!" 

"Listen!" Billy called after Rebecca.  She stopped and faced him, "We've got to cooperate with each other from now on!  You got that?"  Rebecca stood for a moment and thought. 

"Well I don't-" 

"Clue in girl!  Or maybe you like being worm bate!" 

"Alright!" Rebecca agreed, "But you just remember that I _will_ shoot you if you try anything funny." 

"Fine," Billy said as he pulled out a few handgun ammo clips, "Now take these with you." Rebecca caught them and walked to the window, "If you find anything, give me a call, alright?" Billy held up a radio.  Rebecca reloaded her gun and nodded at Billy before she climbed out the window and up the ladder onto the roof.  

"This is Delta Team.  This is Delta Team," a man in heavy armor with an assault rifle said through his radio, "We have gained control of the train.  Over." 

"Understood." Albert Wesker answered on the other end.  Wesker sat in a small dark room.  In front of the chair that he sat in, were at least six screens showed surveillance camera visuals.  A long-necked microphone sat in front of his face, attached to the control panel.  Wesker was 38 years old and in his blue S.T.A.R.S. uniform and sunglasses with his blond hair combed back.  William Birkin stood next to him in his lab coat with his hands rested on the control panel.  Birkin's clothes were dirty along with his dirty-blond hair.  Birkin was around Wesker's age and looked like he hadn't slept in a week.  He looked at the floor and shook his head. 

"This does not make any sense," Birkin muttered, "How was the T-virus leaked?  And why did it contaminate both the lab and the mansion, as well as a train almost three miles away?"  Wesker quickly covered the microphone with his hand. 

"That's irrelevant!" Wesker snapped at Birkin, "We must make sure that no knowledge of this gets out.  Destroy the train!  Completely!" Wesker glared at Birkin for a moment before he turned back to the microphone, "How far away are you from the nearest branch line?" 

"About ten minutes to-" the soldier cut himself off when he saw hundreds of leeches pouring out of the screen next to the open walkway in the engine car.  He watched in horror as they crawled up his legs and began covering his whole body.  He screamed in horror and pain as he frantically fired his M-16 trying to kill the leeches.  The leeches bit through the armor and burrowed beneath his clothes to his skin.  The soldier's comrade came out of the control room only to see his friend completely covered in the horrible leeches.  Some of the leeches began to attack the other soldier as well.  Wesker heard the screams and gunshots over the radio. 

"What happened?" Wesker yelled through the microphone.  Moments later, both the soldiers collapsed to the ground in death.  Their bodies were covered in the slime secreted from the little creatures as the leeches wriggled out of the engine car and traveled to other parts of the train.  

Meanwhile…

Rebecca could hardly get up at all without getting blown off the speeding train.  The wind and rain stung her face as she crawled across the roof the end of the car.  She was nearly blown off the train's roof when she heard gunshots and screams coming from the front of the train.  They continued for a few seconds until the cries died down and the only sound that could b heard was the wind and the rain.  "Those were assault rifle shots!" Rebecca thought, "My team members aren't carrying assault rifles!  So who is on the train?" 

"Rebecca?" Rebecca could barley hear Billy's voice over the noise of nature, "Did you hear those shots?" 

"Yeah!" Rebecca yelled over the background noise, "They came from the front of the train, the engine car!  Whoever they are, they started the train, but I'm pretty sure that they're dead now!"  

"Do you think they were from your team?" 

"No!  No!  It couldn't be them!  My team isn't carrying anything more than pistols and shotguns!  We don't have assault rifles!  Do you have any idea who they might have been?" 

"I'm as confused as you are."  Rebecca saw sparks flying next to a hole in the roof.  The sparks came from a broken wire in a power box.  

"I think I know how to turn the door downstairs back on!" 

"Good.  Hurry!" 

"Over and out!"  Rebecca put her radio away and cautiously crawled over to the power box.  She reconnected the hose-size wire, activating the automatic door.  After she did, clear slime slowly started to seep up to her through the wires.  Suddenly, about a dozen leeches jumped at her from the slime.  Rebecca cried out as they knocked her backwards and into the hole.  She groaned and slowly stood to her feet.  The leeches were gone.  She found herself in a room with a long counter that spanned across most of the wall.  Above the counter were cabinets.  Next to the counter was a small service elevator.  On the other side of the room was a door.  Rebecca tried to open it, but there was something stuck in the keyhole and the knob wouldn't turn.  

"Rebecca?" Rebecca heard Billy's voice on the radio, "Hello?  What kind of trouble did you get yourself into now?  I heard you scream and then I heard a really loud thump above me." 

"I'm fine!" Rebecca answered thoroughly annoyed while picking up some ammo off the countertop, "I turned the automatic door on, but I fell through a hole and I'm stuck in a room on the upper floor."  

"Smooth move Rebecca."  Billy said with a breath of a chuckle. 

"Hey!  Shut your mouth!  You would have fallen in too!" 

"Knowing you, I sincerely doubt that." Billy said as he walked through the automatic door and into the kitchen. 

"DROP THE EGO AND HELP ME OUT LIKE YOU PROMISED!  WHETHER I LIKE IT OR NOT, WE'RE A TEAM NOW!  DON'T FORGT THAT!" 

"I don't know.  I was kind of thinking of ditching you.  You should know better than to trust a fugitive like me." 

"WHAT?" 

"Would you stop yelling?  You're giving me a headache!  I was just kidding!  I wouldn't leave you up there.  That would be a lot of booty gone to waste."

"The door has something caught in the keyhole and the knob won't turn," Rebecca said through gritted teeth, trying to keep from cussing him out, "I need something sharp."  Billy walked around the kitchen.  A large refrigerator stood on the other side of the room.  Next to the refrigerator were a locked door and a trapdoor in the corner.  Billy tried opening the trapdoor, but he couldn't.  He needed some kind of tool or hook to pry it open.  Food was still sizzling on the stoves next to the automatic door.  

"Some food is still cooking on the stove," Billy said. 

"Yeah?  What's your point?" 

"Hey!  They're chili dogs!  I'm kind of hungry.  You want one?" 

"BILLY!" 

"Okay!  Fine.  Girl, you have absolutely no sense of humor, do you?" 

"ARE YOU GOING TOE HELP ME OR NOT?" 

"I will," Billy looked across the room and his eyes fell on a small service elevator, "Is there a service door in the room you're in?" 

"Yeah." 

"You're in luck.  There's one in here too.  I'll send you my knife." 

"No! Your knife is too big!  I need something small and thin that I can actually pick it out with!" 

"Really?  Interesting.  I thought that you'd like 'em big."  

"BILLY!  I'M WARNING YOU!  IF YOU DON'T' SHUT UP, I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU THE MOMENT I GET OUT OF HERE!"  Billy was laughing on the other end.  

"Dream on, Rebecca," Billy laughed, "You didn't do too well last time you tried that and that was when you were serious!" 

"Are you going to help me or not?" 

"I would, but it seems that we're stuck.  There's another door marked, "Freight Car" and a trapdoor in here, but the door is locked and I can't open the trapdoor unless I have a panel opener or something.  So, it looks like neither of us are going anywhere." Rebecca looked around the room.  She spotted a key on the counter.  She picked it up and read the tag: "Conductor's Cabin".  

"Yes!  I found the key to the conductor's cabin!  I'm sending it to you now with some ammo that I found on the floor." Rebecca put the items in the elevator and pressed the button to make it go down.  

"Good.  Now we're getting somewhere," Billy said while putting the items in his pocket, "Over and out!"  Billy ran threw the passenger cars and came to the hallway where he met Rebecca.  He unlocked the conductor's cabin and threw the key away before he opened the door.  

It was more like an office than anything else.  There was a desk, a small closet and a shelf with some red and green Ngendo herbs on it.  Billy found a piece of paper on the desk.  It was a note form the conductor that said: 

"The key card for the Driver's Compartment is in my briefcase as always.  But I need the other guy's key too to open the damn thing.  But it looks like I've lost it somewhere.  If it was a normal key, someone would be sure to turn it in, but this key is different…I'll look for it too, but if you happen to find it, please hand it in. 

Thanks in advance." 

Billy opened the closet and found the briefcase that the paper was referring to.  He felt the unique circular imprints on the front buckle.  He set the case down on the floor and turned to the opposite wall.  He saw a map of the train near the door.  He studied it and put it in his back pocket.  Next to where the map was mounted was a red button.  He pressed it and a hole in the ceiling opened up and a ladder folded out leading to the upper floor.  He climbed up the ladder and ended up behind the counter of a bar.  The upper floor looked somewhat like a ballroom.  Suddenly, he heard a loud screech and huge footsteps from above.  Dust fell off the ceiling as the footsteps sounded.  Something was on the roof.  Billy didn't want to find out so he ran to the other side of the room and opened the door.  On the other side laid a long hallway with one door on the side.  Billy heard a disgusting squishing sound coming from the end of the hall.  He cautiously walked over and found a large pile of clear, golf ball-sized eggs blocking a door.  A puddle of slime saturated the surrounding area.  Billy walked into the room on the side of the hall.  The small room had a sink, a locked closet, and a bed, and messy cabinets and bookcases.  On the floor were a double-barrel hunting rifle, shotgun ammo, and handgun ammo.  Billy grinned as he stuffed the ammo into his hip pockets.  Billy put his pistol in his back pocket and picked up the shotgun.  He loaded and cocked it.  He exited the room and started walking back to the ballroom.  He was about to open the door when something caught his eye.  There was a small, sharp ice pick about he size of a dinner knife next to dirty dishes on a serving tray cart.  "This would satisfy Rebecca." Billy thought as he picked it up.  He walked back into the ballroom and heard a smash of glass.  

The chandelier had fallen from the ceiling and crashed on the floor.  A huge claw pierced the ceiling.  Then another one.  The lights went out as the ceiling caved in on the other side of the room.  Billy stood in horror as a scorpion that took up half the car, stood shrieking in the pile of rubble.  The creature advanced on Billy with its venom filled tail ready to strike.  Billy fired two shots at the scorpion's head, but it protected its face with its claws.  Billy ducked as it swung its sharp, pointed tail at his head.  The scorpion missed and hit the door behind him, leaving a gaping hole.  Billy reloaded the rifle and fired at point blank range into the thing's head.  Bright green fluid sprayed out as it screeched in pain.  Billy reloaded again and continued to fire at its head.  The creature's stamina was diminishing, but its rage was rising.  Billy reloaded again and cocked the gun.  Before he could raise his gun and fire, one of the scorpion's giant claws swiped at his hands, knocking it across the room.  Billy pulled out his pistol and opened fire.  The creature seemed to be getting closer and closer to death as Billy lodged the bullets into its face.  The monster looked like it could take no more as Billy pulled the trigger again.  He was horrified to hear the loud click of the empty pistol.  The arachnid lunged toward him.  It knocked him back, causing Billy to drop his gun and pinned his waist against the wall with the flat of its claw.  It raised its stinger and thrust the point toward his chest.  Billy screamed as he pulled out his knife and impaled it.  The stingers point was just inches from his chest.  The sickly, yellow venom spewed from the stinger.  The monster cried out in pain as the knife tore its stinger in half.  It backed up screeching so loud that Billy's ears were ringing at a high frequency.  Billy spotted the rifle and darted for it.  He was almost in range to grab it when his feet were suddenly pulled out from under him.  He fell face-first on the floor.  Billy turned over on his back to see his feet caught in the scorpion's claws.  He threw the venom stained dagger into its exposed brain.  It cried out and released him.  He crawled to the rifle, his ankles cut up.  He grabbed it and turned towards the monster.  It raised up on its back four legs about to impale him with its sharp claws.  Billy pressed the barrel of the rifle up against its underside and shot twice.  Parts of the scorpion's organs and exoskeleton shot out the other side.  Billy rolled out of the way as it went limp and slammed to the floor, green fluid leaking everywhere.  Billy's radio beeped, so he pulled it out waiting for a voice.   

"Hey, jerk!  You there?" Rebecca's voice said over the radio, "Have you found anything yet?"  Billy slowly and painfully stood to his feet.  

"Yeah, I'm here," Billy groaned, "I got a little picky thingy that I think will do for getting you out."  He staggered over to his empty pistol on the other side of the room and reloaded it before putting it back in his pocket.  

"What took you so long?" 

"Hey!  Give me a break, girl!" Billy shot back as he reloaded his rifle and traveled back to the trapdoor next to the scorpion, "I had a run-in with the most pesky scorpion on this planet with the exception of you!  It nearly took my feet off too!"  He pulled the knife out of the dead scorpion's head and wiped the fluid on the carpet before putting it away.  

"A scorpion?  What the?" 

"Yeah.  It took up half the car too." 

"How bad are you hurt?" Rebecca asked sounded slightly concerned.

"It cut my ankles up pretty bad, I think.  It hurts to walk, but I think that I can make it back okay." 

"Glad to hear that since you are my only means of getting out of here." Billy tossed the rifle down the trapdoor and was about to proceed down the ladder when something caught his eye.  He picked it up and was glad to see that it was a long panel opener.  

"Hey, Rebecca?  You know that panel thing in the kitchen that I told you about a while ago?" 

"What about it?" 

"I found something that can open it." Billy tossed the tool down into the conductor's cabin.

"Good.  Now hurry up!" 

"I'm coming.  Over and out."  Billy put his radio away before carefully descending down the ladder.  He picked up the rifle with one hand and the panel opener with the other before he walked out into the hallway.  

Billy limped through the hallway, leaning against the walls every other step.  He staggered through the passenger cars nearly falling over with every step.  He was almost to the dining car when a woman emerged from a seat close to the dining car door.  She staggered towards him wheezing with her mouth loosely open.  Billy tightened his grip on the panel opener.  She was a few feet away from him when he swung the panel opener like a knife with all his might towards her neck.  The hook on the end of the panel opener dug into the female zombies throat.  With a quick movement of his hand, he twisted the hook upward, snapping the monstrosity's neck.  Its body went limp and collapsed to the floor, blood oozing out of its esophagus.  "No time for you, Babe," Billy murmured to himself.  Billy walked into the dining car and through the automatic door to the kitchen.  He turned the corner and sat on the counter next to the service elevator.  He pulled the pick out of his pocket and placed it in the elevator.  He pressed the button and sent it up to Rebecca.  Billy took out his radio and held the button down to talk.  "Time to come down." 

"Thank you, Billy," Rebecca answered as she replaced the pick with the remainder of her first aid spray, "I'm sending some first aid spray for your ankles." Rebecca pushed the button to send the spray down to Billy.  

"Thanks.  Over and out." 

Rebecca put her radio away and walked to the door.  She stuck the pick into the keyhole and moved it around trying to get the piece of metal out.  After about a minute, she loosened the metal and fished it out.  The end of a key fell out of the keyhole and clanked on the floor.  She dropped the pick and pulled out her pistol as she heard a cry of pain coming from downstairs.  She quickly opened the door only to find two zombies: a man and a woman, blocking her path.  Half of their bodies were engulfed in flames.  Rebecca quickly shot them both in the head and ran down the stairs and into the kitchen.  She turned the corner to see Billy cringing in pain as he watched his ankles start to heal.  The pain faded from his face as Rebecca approached him.  "That stuff burns like hell!" Billy commented. 

"Amazing how it works though right?" Rebecca said to him.  

"Yeah.  Kind of creepy, actually."  Billy stood up and walked past Rebecca to the trapdoor.  He hooked the panel opener around the handle and pulled up.  The trapdoor opened with a creak and a small crawlspace that led under the door and into the next room revealed itself.  Billy tossed the panel opener aside.  "Ladies first." 

"Oh no!  Uh-uh!" Rebecca answered quickly, "I am not trusting you anywhere near my ass!  You go first!"  Billy laughed. 

"Have it your way," Billy replied as he got into the crawlspace, "Hey!  You have a sense of humor now!" 

"I was serious!" Rebecca shot back as she followed him.  Billy just laughed as he crawled through.  

Billy poked his head out of the crawlspace on the other end.  

"Would you hurry up and move, Billy?" Rebecca pleaded. 

"Why?" 

"IT'S A FULL MOON!" 

"My pants are not sagging!" 

"True, but your butt is still in my face!" 

"Sorry, but I have to survey the area first before I climb out.  I don't know how dangerous it is in the room, so I'm doing this procedure for safety sake."

"Yeah, right." Rebecca mumbled.

"Huh?"

"What do you see?" Rebecca asked.  

"Not much.  It's kind of dark," Billy answered, "Um, it looks like a storage place." 

"For what?" 

"Um…some chemicals and gas, equipment stuff and, oh!  Some shotgun ammo!  Good times!" 

"Anything else?" 

"Some cages with some dead dogs in-" Billy was cut off by the crash of the doors of the two metal cages flying across the room and into a wall.  The mindless canines sprang out and jumped at Billy, "OH BLOODY HELL!" Billy killed both the dogs in one shot.  The two bodies slammed lifelessly to the metal floor.  Billy was breathing heavily.  

"You okay up there, Billy?" 

"Yeah!  I'm fine!" Billy said with a hint of fear still clinging to his voice.  

"Zombie dogs?" 

"Yup!" Billy answered as he got out of the crawlspace, "And they scared the crap out of me!  I wish that those things wouldn't pop out like that!" Rebecca laughed a little as she climbed out and stood next to Billy.  He put the shotgun ammo in his pocket.  

"What's that?" Rebecca asked. 

"What's what?" Billy answered while unlocking the door behind them that led back to the kitchen.  

"There's something gold in the cage." 

"Huh?  Which one?" 

"The one closest to the other door." Rebecca pointed.  Billy walked to the cage and looked inside.  A small gold ring sat in the back of the cage.  Billy picked it up and examined it.  It was about an inch wide just like the imprints on the briefcase.  Billy felt the ring and remembered what the imprints looked like.  

"It's one of the keys!" Billy exclaimed.  

"Huh?  What do you mean?" 

"In the conductor's cabin I found a briefcase.  It's locked and it needs two keys to open it.  The keys I think are two small rings that fit into identical imprints on the buckle.  I'm pretty sure that this is one of the weird keys.  The keycard to open the door to the engine car is in the briefcase." 

"How do you know this?" 

"A piece of paper told me," Rebecca started laughing as she walked to the door next to the cage.  Billy stood up, "What's so funny?" 

" 'A piece of paper told me!' " 

"It did!  It said on the paper that the briefcase needed those weird keys and that-" 

"I know!  I know!  But the way you said it just makes you sound like a schizophrenic that talks to walls and tree trunks!" Billy laughed.  

"You actually made a joke!" Rebecca turned and started to open the door, "Yey!" Billy bear-hugged Rebecca around the stomach, lifting her off the floor, "I'm so proud!  I feel happy!"  Billy laid an exaggerated kiss on the back of her neck. 

"AAAKKKK!!!  DOWN!  DOWN!  PUT ME DOWN, YOU CRAZED BABOON!"  

"What did you call me?" 

"**_BABOON!!!!_**" One of Billy's hands let go of Rebecca and slipped into his pocket.  He was still able to keep her off the ground using one arm with no problem.  Billy took****the ring out of his pocket and talked to it. 

"Did you hear that, Winky?  She called me a baboon!  The loudest, smelliest, stupidest ape of them all!  I think that I'm going to cry now!" Billy let out an obviously fake whimpering/crying sound while he put the ring back in his pocket.

"**_BABOON!_**" Rebecca screamed as loud as she could while kicking her legs frantically, "BABOON!  BABOON!  BABOON! BABOON!  BABOON!" Billy started laughing and he dropped her.  The second Rebecca hit the floor, she turned around and slammed her knuckles into the side of Billy's face, making him stumble back and fall into the cages.  

"OW!" Billy cried out as he sat up and looked at Rebecca, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR!" 

"I warned you not to try anything funny!" Rebecca shot back as Billy slowly rubbed the bruise forming just below his left cheekbone.  

"Actually you said that you'd shoot me if I tried anything funny," Rebecca stood still as Billy stood up, "So why didn't you shoot me?"  Rebecca paused. 

"I was mostly referring to you trying to kill me!" Rebecca opened the door to the open platform that was the very back of the train, "And besides, you're not even worth the bullet." Rebecca walked through the door and into the stinging wind and rain. 

"Yeah, sure." Billy murmured sarcastically as he followed her.  

They could hardly see outside.  A metal fence at stomach level caged in the platform, so the duo wasn't nervous about falling off the train.  The only light came from a small light that illuminated a control panel to the right of the door.  The control panel was off and next to the screen were nine buttons.  The buttons were labeled one through nine.  Below the display screen were ten small lights lined up in a single row, but they weren't shining.  There was also a slot for a key card.  To the left of the door was a tool about the size of an MP-5 submachine gun.  The barrel had a large grappling hook sticking out of it.  It was mounted at face level and strapped to the wall with two metal clamps.  "This would be nice to have if I could get the clamps open!" Rebecca yelled over the weather.  Billy looked around and saw a lever on the fence.  He pulled it down and the clamps opened.  Rebecca put her pistol in her pocket and pulled the hookshot off the wall.  She saw a slip of paper behind the clamps.  She pulled it out and read it: 

"Hookshot Operator's Manual 

-WARNING- 

This device should only be used when inspecting difficult-to-access car roofs, or when connecting special trains.  Return to its proper location after use.  

Instructions 

1.  Where to use. 

 There is a ladder outside the small window by the 1st floor section door of the third carriage.  Fire the device so that it hooks high onto the ladder.  

2.  Using the Winch to Climb.  

After securing the hook, use the winch to lift yourself up.   

-This grappling hook can only lift one person at a time.  Be aware that the unit may be damaged if lifting more than 80 kg."

"Where do we use that thing?" Billy asked.  Rebecca paused and thought a little. 

            "The passenger car at the front of the train!" Rebecca answered, "There's a window there with a broken ladder!  I can use this to get on the roof!" 

            "Okay!  Let's go!" Billy and Rebecca passed through the freight car and into the kitchen.  Rebecca walked in front of the refrigerator and a zombie burst through the refrigerator door and grabbed her from behind.  Rebecca screamed and didn't have time to react.  A loud gunshot sounded and Rebecca felt something hit the back of her neck.  Rebecca froze and it grew quiet.  She turned around to see Billy holding the smoking rifle and the zombie's body collapse to the ground.  Its head ended at the bottom of the chin.  Billy had literally blown its head off!  The back of Rebecca's neck felt wet.  She felt the back of her neck.  It was blood.  "Don't worry, Rebecca," Billy reassured her with a few drops of blood dripping from his face, "That's not your blood, it's his." Billy motioned to the body of the zombie on the floor.  Blood was splattered all over the room and a pool of blood was growing around the zombie's head, or what was left of it.  "Man, he splattered all over you!  Sorry about that!"  Billy grabbed some paper towels off the counter and started wiping the blood off his face and the back of Rebecca's neck and shoulders.  Rebecca suddenly felt something sliding down the front of her shirt.  She looked down to see a piece of the zombie's head sliding down between her breasts.  

            "YYYYYIIIIIIEEEEE!!!!" Rebecca screamed in disgust and surprise as she dropped the hookshot, "EW!  EW! EW!  GET IT OUT!  GET IT OUT!" 

            "What?  What?" Billy dropped the bloody towels is surprise. 

            "A piece of his head is sliding down the front of my shirt and it's all squishy!  GET IT OUT!" Billy burst out laughing and reached a hand out towards Rebecca.  

            "Okay, fine.  I'll get it.  Hold still!" 

            "WHOA THERE, BOYO!  NO!  NOT A CHANCE!  ON SECOND THOUGHT, I'LL GET IT!" Rebecca turned her back on Billy and jammed her hand down her shirt, trying to get the piece out.  

"OH!  I get it!" Billy finally figured it out as he put his hands up a little and stepped back, "I'm sorry!" 

"Great!  I've just been successfully attacked by the brain of an obviously perverted zombie!" Rebecca commented, "But it's not the only perverted thing in this room!" 

"Hey!" Billy exclaimed, "I am not!" 

"Then why were you reaching for my breasts?"

"I was just trying to get that thing out!  I'm sorry, but that thought never crossed my mind!  I swear that I was not planning on-" Rebecca pulled the piece out of her shirt and threw it at Billy.  Billy jumped back in a futile attempt to dodge it.  It hit him in the shoulder and stuck to it.  "BLEH!" Billy pulled it off him and threw it to the floor, "It's like a giant hairy tick!" Billy wiped his hands on a paper towel. 

"Dang it!  My fingers are all gooey now!" Rebecca approached Billy with her hand outstretched trying to wipe her fingers off on his shirt. 

"Not on me!" Billy tossed the paper towels to her.  Rebecca caught them and wiped her hands off on them.  As she did so, Billy noticed something in the open refrigerator: an empty bottle.  Billy remembered seeing a gas canister in the freight car.  He picked up the bottle and thought for a moment.  Billy ran into the freight car as soon as he got the idea.  Billy opened the gas canister and filled the bottle up with gas.  He ran back into the kitchen and stuffed a rag in the bottle.  

"What are you doing?" Rebecca asked. 

"I made a Molotov Cocktail just in case." 

"Clever you."  Rebecca picked up the hookshot before she and Billy walked out of the kitchen and into the dark passenger car.  Luckily, they passed through it without having to kill any zombies.  They walked into the lit passenger car and looked to the open window to their left.  

"Is this it?" Billy asked. 

"Yeah," Rebecca answered as she stuck her head out the window, "As much as I'd hate to say it, you're going to have to hold on to me while I aim for the roof so I don't fall out of the train." Rebecca reached out a hand to him.  Billy grabbed her wrist and held on tight as Rebecca carefully slid her torso out the window, "You got me?" 

"Don't worry.  I won't let you fall." Rebecca raised her hookshot with the other hand and fired.  The hook caught on the top of the remains of the ladder.  

"I got it!  You can let go now." 

"You sure?" 

"Yeah.  I'll radio you if I find anything." 

"Okay." Billy let go of Rebecca and the rest of her body slipped out of the window.  Rebecca pressed a switch on the side of the tool and the wire started coiling up, lifting Rebecca to the top of the train once more.  

Rebecca carefully lifted herself  onto the top of the train and slowly crawled across the car.  There was another hole in the ceiling in the middle of the car.  Rebecca looked through the hole and saw a small room.  She jumped down the hole and landed next to a dresser and a bed.  She stood up and saw a woman standing in front of her with her back to her.  The woman turned her head and showed a decomposing face.  Rebecca raised the hookshot and fired.  It broke through the woman's skull and pierced her brain.  The zombie fell backwards in death for the last time.  Rebecca placed her foot firmly on the woman's face and pressed the switch to pull the hook out.  The hook popped out of the woman's head and snapped back into the barrel.  Next to the body was a closet.  Rebecca opened it and found a small jewelry box on the floor of the closet.  She flipped it open and found a silver ring identical to the gold one that Billy had.  Rebecca reached for her radio.  "Billy, I found the other key." 

"Good.  Can you get back alright or do you need another ice pick?" Rebecca turned the knob on the door next to her.  Rebecca let out a sigh of frustration.  

"Neither!" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I can turn the knob, but something's blocking the door!  I can't push it open!" 

"Are you sure that you're pushing it the right way?" 

"Yes!  The hinges don't swing the other way!" 

"Oh great.  Where are you?  Stomp on the floor or something so I can find you." Rebecca jumped as high as she could and slammed her feet on the floor with all her might.  Billy heard a loud thud.  He turned and faced the long aisle where the sound came from. "Do it again." Rebecca obeyed and Billy spotted the portion of the ceiling that Rebecca was jumping on.  "Okay, I know where you are now.  I'll be up in a minute." 

Billy ran up the stairs next to him and turned a corner into a long hallway.  He gasped when he saw what lay in front of him.  Thousands of eggs lined the hallways.  He saw the door to the room that Rebecca was in.  A huge pile of eggs was preventing her escape.  "Some weird eggs are blocking the door!" Billy called down the hallway. 

"What?" Rebecca asked in surprise, "Eggs?" 

"Yeah!  They're all over the hallway!  I saw a small pile earlier in the area that I fought the scorpion!  The eggs are sort of transparent and they're leaving an awful lot of slime everywhere!  Any idea what they could be?" 

"Eggs," Rebecca thought, "Slime.  What could they- OH GOD!" Rebecca jumped when she heard Billy scream. 

"REBECCA!  THEY'RE LEECHES!  THE EGGS ARE LEECHES!  THE ONES IN FRONT OF THE DOOR ARE HATCHING!  HURRY AND GET OUT OF THERE BEFORE THE REST HATCH!" 

"I'M COMING!  HOLD ON!" Rebecca turned the doorknob and started ramming the door with her shoulder in an attempt to break through the remaining eggs.  The door started to give way a few inches and leeches poured inside the room.  Rebecca screamed as she hit the door as hard as she could, forcing it open.  She ran into the hall with leeches crawling up her legs and back.  She heard popping and splats all around her as more and more eggs began to hatch.  There were so many leeches around her that the hallway seemed to pulsing and moving towards her.  Rebecca turned a corner and saw Billy waiting for her.  He lit the Molotov Cocktail with his lighter and threw it behind her, sending the whole hallway up in flames, killing any leeches that dared the chase them.  Billy and Rebecca ran down the stairs and back into the passenger car where Rebecca used the hookshot.  

"OW!" Rebecca screamed as the few remaining leeches began biting her collarbone and sides, "AAAAAA!!!! GET THEM OFF!" Rebecca started ripping the leeches off her collarbone as Billy pulled the leeches off her sides and hips.  Rebecca stomped on all of the leeches that fell from her body, staining the carpet with large circles of yellow leech guts.  Rebecca held her hand over her collarbone and neck where the deep bite marks were present.   

"You okay?" Billy asked while looking around her neck for any other bite marks.  

"It stings!" Rebecca replied through gritted teeth.  

"They got you pretty good, didn't they?" 

"Billy." Rebecca looked into his eyes. 

"What?" 

"Hands." Rebecca motioned down with her eyes.  Billy looked down and saw that he was still holding onto Rebecca's hips.  He quickly pulled away.  

"Sorry," Billy apologized, "Uh, you still got that ring?" Rebecca pulled the silver ring out of her pocket and handed it to Billy. 

"Where's the case?" Rebecca replied. 

"I left it in the conductor's cabin." Billy led Rebecca through the aisle and into the car where Edward spent his last moments of life.  Billy walked past Edward's body and opened the door to the office.  He walked inside and took out the two rings from his pocket.  He placed them in the imprints on the buckle of the case, unlocking it.  All this time Rebecca just stood in the doorway and stared at Edward.  It was only at this time that she felt sorrow for Edward.  Edward was gone.  Her team mate and friend was murdered by the monsters and she missed him terribly.  She fought hard to hold back tears.  She didn't want Billy to see her like this.  It was bad enough having to be teamed up with someone like him.  "Alright.  I got the key ca-" Billy stopped when he saw Rebecca kneeling in front of Edward who sat motionless and silent against the wall.  His face had gone pale and his body stone cold.  Rebecca slowly started to reach a hand out toward Edward's face.  Billy grabbed her wrist and stopped her.  Rebecca let out a slight gasp and faced Billy.  "Best to leave him alone.  Come on." Billy pulled Rebecca to her feet and guided her to the door trying his best to keep her from looking back.  Billy gave the blue key card to Rebecca who slowly took it and slid it through the card reader on the side of the wall next to the door.  They heard a beep as the door unlocked.  Rebecca dropped the keycard and opened the door.  

The rain was still pouring like a waterfall outside.  The walkway to the control room was open with the exception of a small overhang over the metal walkway.  It hardly protected the fugitive and his new comrade from the rain that was now blowing at an angle.  They came across the bodies of the two dead Delta Team soldiers.  Their gas masks had been eaten clean through to their faces in some parts.  Billy picked up their assault rifles and checked the clips.  "Are they empty?" Rebecca asked.  Billy nodded.  

"But I'm not about to go searching them for more ammo!" 

"Good call!  They'd probably wake up!" Billy and Rebecca continued down the walkway and walked through the door to the control room.  Two dead drivers lay lifeless on the floor.  Sparks flew out of a damaged power box for the main braking power.  A large control panel was covered in computers, buttons, and switches.  A single lever stood next to a small panel with a display screen and nine buttons like the one on the back of the train.  Billy walked to the control panel and looked at the computer.  

"This train line's gonna derail and crash!" Billy exclaimed, "I've gotta stop this thing!"  Rebecca dropped her hookshot and frantically searched for something that would stop the train.  In a locker behind her, she found a booklet.  Rebecca read it out loud, 

" 'Brake Operation Manual 

Using the Brake Control  

The following three steps are necessary to operate the brakes:  

Step 1:  Activating the Controls  

Brake controls are located in the following locations: 

-First car Driver's Compartment.  

-Rear deck of the fifth car.  

To activate the system, you must insert the magnetic card into the device in the fifth car.  This will supply power to both sets of controls.  

Step2:  Enter Rear Deck Code  

Enter the code for the rear deck unit to release the lock.  After this the Driver's compartment code can be input.  

Step 3:  Enter Driver's Compartment Code  

Enter the code for the Driver's Compartment unit to remove the lock.  Upon completion of these three steps the manual brakes will be available for use.' " 

Rebecca set the booklet down onto the panel and grabbed a black magnetic card that sat on top of the broken power box.  Rebecca's authoritative voice caught Billy's attention, "I'll go to the back deck and manipulate the control panel for the break. You stay here and apply the brake when ready." Rebecca pointed to the lever. 

"Okay," Rebecca ran for the door, "Rebecca!" she stopped and faced Billy. 

"Hm?" Billy tossed her the rifle and some shotgun ammo, which Rebecca placed in her pocket. 

"Don't screw up, okay?" 

"I won't." Rebecca replied to his comment as she cocked the rifle.  Billy watched her as she walked out of the control room.  

Rebecca ran across the walkway and to the door as she heard the two dead soldiers rise up.  Rebecca got through the door before the mindless bodies noticed she was there.  "Billy!  Be careful!" Rebecca warned through her radio, "Those soldiers outside just woke up!" 

"Thanks for the heads up," Billy replied, "Now hurry up!  I don't know how much time we have left until it's too late!" Rebecca ran past the conductor's cabin, barely noticing that the employee and Edward were gone.  She ran into the hallway and darted past the awakened employee and into the passenger car.  On entry, she noticed about a half a dozen zombies approaching her.  She raised her rifle and fired twice killing two zombies at once.  She hit two with the butt of her rifle, which caused the domino effect, knocking the rest to the floor.  Rebecca jumped over their bodies and ran into the next car before they could get up.  

Rebecca closed the sliding door of the darkened passenger car behind her.  She turned around to face the aisle when she heard a slurping, crunching sound.  She gasped at what she saw.  A zombie was eating a body on the floor.  The monster turned his face towards Rebecca with blood dripping from his blue lips.  "EDWARD!" Rebecca screamed and dropped her rifle.  Edward's mouth was black and hung open showing bits of rotting flesh stuck in between his teeth. "No." Rebecca shook her head not wanting to believe his transformation.  Edward stood up and staggered toward Rebecca, with his hands outstretched longing to taste her flesh.  Rebecca felt her eyes welling up with tears.  She just stood there looking at Edward's face as she felt her sorrow consume her.  Memories came flashing back to Rebecca; memories of her and Edward.  She remembered their friendship.  He loved Rebecca like a little sister and promised to do whatever it took to keep her safe.  He had a good head on his shoulders and a passion for justice.  Rebecca always admired him for his good soul.  He was like the brother she never had.  "Stop!  Don't come any closer!" Rebecca pleaded as she looked into his clouded eyes, looking for Edward.  Where was he?  There was no soul, no life behind his eyes.  Now he was only a shell, nothing more.  Edward Dewey was dead.  He was gone forever, but he was not fully at rest.  Rebecca could not let him live on like this.  He wouldn't want to be this way.  Rebecca slowly reached for her pistol.  She pulled it out of her pocket and aimed for his head.  "Goodbye, Edward.  I'll miss you, brother." A tear trickled down Rebecca's face as she put Edward out of his misery.  It seemed like slow motion as the 9mm bullet shot out of the barrel of Rebecca's pistol and soared towards Edward's head.  It pierced through his skull and buried itself in his brain.  Blood oozed down his forehead as he let out a wheezing breath and collapsed onto the floor.  Rebecca stared at his body for a moment before she darted for the door, her vision blinded by tears.  She couldn't stand to look at her "brother" anymore.  Not when he was in that form.  She prayed for his soul as she opened the door to the dining car and ran inside, slamming the door closed behind her.  

She darted through the kitchen and kept telling herself that she couldn't stop.  Billy was counting on her.  She had to manipulate the controls to save both their lives and hopefully, soon, her friends' lives.  She ran through the freight car and onto the platform outside.  She quickly pulled out the magnetic card and pushed it into the slot.  She heard a beep as the small display screen showed: 0/36.  Rebecca's hand moved towards the nine buttons and she pushed the 3.  Then the display screen said: 3/36 and one of the ten lights below it lit up.  Rebecca pushed the 6 and another light lit up as the display screen showed: 9/36.  Rebecca pushed the 9 and the third light lit up as the screen showed: 18/36.  Rebecca typed in 18 and two lights lit up one after the other under the screen that now displayed: 27/36.  Rebecca paused and then it hit her.  Rebecca quickly typed in: 1 1 1 1 5.  When the rest of the ten lights lit up, the display screen showed: 36/36.  A loud beep was heard and the numbers on the display screen blinked.  Rebecca whipped out her radio and pressed the button down to talk.  "This is Rebecca!  I've engaged the control device for the break!  Over!" 

"Roger," Billy responded, "I'll put the break on now!" Billy looked down at the control panel that was identical to the one that Rebecca had just finished messing with.  It displayed:  /67.  The glass was cracked where the zero would be.  "Rebecca, how do I do this?" 

"You have to type in ten numbers whose sum is the number displayed on the screen!" 

"Okay.  Thanks." Billy put his radio away as he looked at the display screen and thought, "Okay.  What times nine is almost equal to 67?" Billy pondered for a while until he pressed the 7 nine times and the 4 once.  The display screen beeped and blinked.  Billy was about to pull the lever when two pairs of hands grabbed him from behind.  The drivers were awake and hungry.  One bit into his left shoulder as the other feasted on the right side of his neck.  Billy screamed out in pain as the demonic duo fiercely tore flesh from his body.  Billy frantically tried to break from their grasp but it did no good.  In an effort to save Rebecca, Billy kicked the lever, turning it clockwise to apply to brake.  

Sparks flew from the wheels as the train sped along the tracks hardly slowing down at all.  It turned a sharp corner and raised up on one side, pushing the zombies and Billy against the wall.  Rebecca was nearly thrown from the train, but was able to grab the railing.  When the turn ended, the train slammed back down on the tracks, throwing Rebecca back onto the platform.  Billy and the zombies slammed to the floor.  Billy pulled out his pistol and shot the both in the head before they could get up.  Billy stood up and looked out the windshield.  They were headed straight for a building.  "OH SHIT!" Billy yelled as the train smashed through a weak wooden fence.  It hit a warning sign that was held up by a big pile of rocks near the end of the tracks.  The train got airborne and the engine car flipped onto its side.  The cars broke apart form each other and skidded across the floor before they crashed into the wall.  

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Yey!  I have completed the first chapter!  I know this was long, but if you don't like long, then don't worry!  Because I don't think that my other chapters will be as long as this!  ^_^  Don't' expect to see another chapter anytime soon because I'm going through WRITER'S BLOCK FROM HELL!!!  I FIGURED OUT THE ENDING AND EVERYTHING BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO GO ALONG WITH THE MIDDLE!  NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!  I've started the second chapter, but I've can only go into like the first 10 minutes of the second chapter because after that……WRITER'S BLOCK!!!!  Also, don't expect much funniness anymore, cause I think the train will be the only appropriate funny time or whatever because of what happens later.  ANYHOO!  Please review!  If you are a flamer, YOU'D BETTER HAVE A GOOD REASON TO BE ONE!!!! 

P.S.  THANK YOU KATE FOR HELPING ME ON THE CHAPTER TITLE!  I OWE YOU ONE!  


	2. Footsteps

YEY!!!!!!  I FINALLY GOT PAST MY WRITER'S BLOCK!!!!  Until the next chapter, anyways…after one point, it just goes blank….grrrr….I forgot to mention that it smelled really bad in the train and stuff because of the rotting zombies.  Also, do you guys know if Enrico said, "Don't think twice before killing him" or "He wouldn't think twice before killing you" on the train at that part where he contacts Rebecca?  Cause it's kind of hard to understand what he says.  ANYWAYS!  I hope that you people enjoy this chapter that I have made you wait too long for!  Please r&r! ^_^

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**Chapter 2 **

Footsteps 

            Billy laid face down, unconscious on the metal ground.  The burning wreckage of the train surrounded him as he was still gripping his gun.  His arms were cut up and he had a few shallow cuts on his face from flying out of the windshield when the train crashed.  He groaned as he started to come to.  He slowly opened his eyes and winced in pain as he stood up.  His body ached all over and was covered in bruises.  His right temple was cut and bleeding down the side of his face next to his ear.  He looked around the room, which looked somewhat like a beat up train station.  Besides the burning train and the mass of rubble where the train entered, there was a large metal elevator blocked by flames and a single rusty door on the other side of the room.  All he could smell were burning bodies and smoke.  His heart suddenly filled with fear, "Rebecca," Billy thought, "Where is she?" 

"Rebecca!" Billy called, "Rebecca, where are you?" 

"I'm here!" Rebecca's voice sounded.  Billy ran towards the direction of her voice and found Rebecca sitting up against a wall putting her pistol into her pocket.  She was bruised too and her right eye was a little red.  She was sweating and gritting her teeth, trying not to hyperventilate.  Billy kneeled down to her.  

"Are you alright?  Hey, we managed to stop the train." Billy said with a smirk as he pointed to the burning wreckage.  Rebecca showed a small smile at Billy's joke.  Her smile quickly went back to a state of pain and she breathed heavily as if there wasn't any air in the atmosphere.  

"Yes, we managed," Rebecca replied, "And I got a compound fracture when we crashed!" Billy's face faded to a look of concern.  

"What?" Rebecca motioned with her eyes to her left leg.  Billy looked down and saw her bloodstained pant leg with a large tear in the middle.  He looked closely and saw some white behind the tear.  Billy put his gun away and gently rolled her pant leg up to the knee.  Rebecca closed her eyes and tried not to cry out as he did so.  After Billy finished rolling up her pants, he looked down at the source of the blood.  Blood was pouring out of the gaping wound in her shin.  The bone was snapped and almost overlapping itself as it stuck out of the skin.  

"Oh my god," Billy murmured, "I have to get you out of here." Billy took Rebecca's right arm and held it around his neck.  He wrapped his arm around her side and slowly pulled her to her feet.  She hobbled with Billy as he walked to the rusted door.  Billy quickly opened the door as three burning shells of evil rose up, eager to meet the duo's taste.  He closed the door behind them and nearly gagged from the smell.  It was so bad that it almost made their eyes water.  They were standing on a platform over a green river of sewage.  Billy sat Rebecca down on the platform and slowly lowered himself into the cesspool, trying not to splash Rebecca.  The last thing she needed was a sewage-infected compound fracture!  He stood knee deep in the disgusting water.  He reached out to Rebecca who slid her body over to Billy and wrapped her arms around his neck.  Billy wrapped one arm around her back and the other under her knees.  He lifted her off the platform and carried her through the sickening load of crap.  

Rebecca held Billy tight, trying to deal with the pain surging through her leg.  Billy could feel how tense Rebecca was and tried to sooth her a little by stroking her back with the tips of his fingers.  Rebecca was a little startled by Billy's actions.  She took at glance at him and saw a very concerned look on his face.  Rebecca started to wonder if he was as evil and insane as Enrico said he was.  "If Billy is so awful, then why does he seem so concerned about me?  Maybe he isn't so bad.  Maybe he's-STOP IT REBECCA!  Of course he's bad!  You heard Enrico!  He's a murderer and a nut case!  The only reason why he'd be acting like this is so he could get you warmed up to him!  Then he'll either rape you like the pervert that he probably is or kill you when you let your guard down!  Either way, he's just faking it!  He's just using you and you have no choice but to cooperate with him for now!  Deal with it!" Billy turned a corner and was relieved to find another platform with a long metal ladder on it.  He set Rebecca down on the platform before he climbed out of the sewage.  Billy pulled Rebecca to her feet and leaned her against the wall so she could support herself.  "Can you make it up on your own?" Billy motioned toward the ladder.  

"I…think so," Rebecca answered breathing like she just sprinted ten miles, "Go ahead.  I'll be right behind you." 

"Okay." Billy climbed up the ladder and Rebecca slowly followed, hopping up the ladder on her uninjured foot.  Billy reached the top of the ladder and pushed the trapdoor above his head up.  The heavy piece of marble flipped over and slammed to the floor of the huge room.  Billy hoisted himself up and onto the white marble floor.  He reached down into the hole and helped Rebecca up the rest of the way.  He carried her to a large set of stairs and carefully sat her down.  They looked around the huge room.  By the looks of it, it was the main hall of the building.  Across from the foot of the stairs was a large, metal double door.  Two knight armor suits held enormous swords that crossed in front of the door, keeping it from opening.  There were torches lining the hall and two doors on either side of the room on the first floor.  To their left was a double door and to the right was a single door by the hole that they came out of.  By the double door to the left were several chairs, a red and green herb, and desk with a typewriter and some handgun ammo.  Behind them was a large painting of a man in his late sixties that sat in the middle of a fork in the stairs.  The two stair paths led to opposite sides of the second floor.  On the second floor, directly above the painting was a statue of a woman holding a scale.  The inscription on the statue said, "When good and evil are brought into balance, a new path will be opened before you."  Behind the tall statue was another double door.  The second floor was a long walkway forming a square that connected all the paths to the doors lining it.  A red velvet carpet covered the square walkway and stairs.  From the statue, the walkway to the left had two doors.  The walkway to the right had one door.  The walkway farthest from the statue was lined with windows looking to the eerie outside world.  Billy looked at the center of the room and saw the large red and white octagon in the middle of the floor: the Umbrella Corporation symbol.  Billy read the inscription around it.  

"What is this place?" Rebecca asked as the painting caught her eye.  She could only see the top third of the painting from where she was sitting, but the man in the painting already looked familiar.    

"Apparently, the Umbrella Research Center."  Rebecca slowly and painfully crawled up the stairs to get a better look at the portrait as Billy walked to the side of the room to get the herbs.  She reached the landing in the stairs where it branched off.  She looked at the portrait for a moment and gasped.  

"This is a painting of the man on the train!" Rebecca thought as the memory of the old man in the dining room came back to her.  She remembered his head tearing off and his body falling apart into a pile of leeches.  Billy came up behind Rebecca.  

" 'The First General Manager,' " Billy read the inscription on the bottom of the painting's frame, " 'Dr. James Marcus.' " 

"Who on earth are those people?" Birkin asked as he watched them through the surveillance camera.  

"She's just a rookie," Wesker answered, "A member of S.T.A.R.S." 

"Hm.  What about the male?" 

"I'm unfamiliar with-" 

"Attention!" a voice over the loud speaker startled everyone including Billy and Rebecca, "This is Dr. Marcus!  Please be silent as we reflect upon our company motto.  'Obedience breeds discipline.  Discipline breeds unity.  Unity breeds power!  Power is life.' " 

"Hm hm hm hm hm." Wesker and Birkin heard a voice laugh as the image on the cameras changed to the man who made the leeches attack the train.  

"Who are you?" Wesker demanded.  

"It was I who scattered the T-virus in the mansion," the young man answered, "Needless to say, I contaminated the train too." 

"What?" Birkin commented in surprise.  

"Revenge," the young answered in a an angry voice, "On Umbrella!"  The screens showed nothing but static as he began to sing.  Leeches gathered next to the mystery man and formed into the perfect imitation of Dr. Marcus when he finished singing.  

"Dr. Marcus?" Birkin couldn't believe what he was seeing as the image on the cameras came back. 

"Hm hm hm hm hm," the John Doe laughed again, "Ten years ago Dr. Marcus was murdered by Umbrella.  You helped them, didn't you?" Wesker narrowed his eyebrows in an angry look as the man let out a maniacal laugh.  

Billy was kneeling next to Rebecca who was still cringing in pain on the landing of the stairs.  He was crushing the herbs into powder with the handle of his knife on the map of the train.  "It's a miracle that you weren't hurt anymore than you are when the train crashed," Rebecca commented, "You went through a windshield and all you got were bruises and scratches compared to what I have." 

"You call these scratches?" Billy replied pointing to the bite marks on his shoulder and neck.  

"Compared to my leg, yeah!" 

"It's even more of a miracle that you weren't killed."  

"Yeah, but with the pain right now, I'm kind of wishing that I was killed!" 

"I've heard that one a lot."

"You know what to do right?" 

"Of course I do!  I've done this before on one of my buddies a few years ago." 

"How?" 

"I set the bone, wrapped it up, and radioed for a chopper to come." 

"Except help isn't coming this time," Rebecca commented trying not to look at her injury, "And you didn't have healing herbs either," Billy nodded and Rebecca sniffed the air.  She put a hand over her nose and mouth.  

"What?" Billy asked.  

"You smell like crap!" 

"No shit, Sherlock!  I was walking in it!" Rebecca and Billy laughed a little as he put his knife away and straightened out Rebecca's leg on the carpet.  "Okay, Rebecca.  I am so sorry in advance for doing this, but it's necessary." 

"I know.  I'm sorry in advance if I try to kill you within the next thirty seconds." 

"This is really going to hurt, so I suggest that you put your gloves in your mouth or something." Rebecca's heart nearly stopped with fear as she thought of the pain that Billy would cause.  

"Yeah, good point." Rebecca took off her fingerless gloves and put them between her teeth.  

"I know that it's going to be really hard to do this, but I need you hold your leg perfectly still so I can set it.  You ready?" Rebecca quickly nodded as if saying, "Shut up and get this over with!" She closed her eyes and was already shaking from nervousness, "One…two...three!" When he ended his count, Billy pressed down hard on the nearly overlapping bone.  Rebecca's eyes shot open and she screamed in pain, trying not to move.  Tears rained down her face just like the dark red blood that was pouring onto Billy's hands.  He lined the two pieces of bone up perfectly and held it in place.  Rebecca clawed at the carpet as Billy quickly picked up the paper with the powder on it and poured it directly onto the bone.  The powder sizzled and started dissolving.  Rebecca screamed longer and louder.  Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell back onto the carpet.  The pain was so excruciating that she was about to pass out.  The feeling of the bone being set combined with the burning sensation of the herb created the worst pain Rebecca had ever felt in her entire life.  All of the physical pain that Rebecca and Billy endured through their lives combined wouldn't equal to half of the pain that she was feeling now.  Billy kept the bone set straight as he watched the gap between the two pieces of the bone get smaller and smaller.  Billy let go of Rebecca's leg as the last crack on the bone faded away.  He looked to Rebecca and saw her going into shock.  He quickly slid to Rebecca's side and held his hand under her head.  Rebecca grabbed Billy's other bloodstained hand and squeezed it so hard that her fingernails dug into his skin, nearly making him scream.  Billy looked at Rebecca's shin and saw new flesh forming around her exposed bone.  Rebecca's grip loosened as her cries died down.  Rebecca's breathing came back to a normal pace and she slowly blinked releasing a few last tears.  She took her black gloves out of her mouth and slowly sat up to look at her shin.  The wound was gone.  She turned to Billy and slapped him across the face with her gloves. 

"That was definitely a moment of hell!" Rebecca scolded him.  Billy shook the stinging pain off his face as Rebecca wiped her tears away with the back of her hands.  He looked at Rebecca's gloves.  

"Dang!" Billy commented.  

"What?" 

"Look at your gloves!" Billy responded.  Rebecca examined them and went wide-eyed.  She had taken a bite out of the tops of the gloves, "You're one brave girl, Rebecca."

"Huh?" 

"You did pretty well," Billy gave her a light pad on the back, "Better than I thought actually.  Throughout that whole thing, you kept your leg still.  I never thought that anyone would be able to do that!  I really admire your strength!" 

"Thanks," Rebecca put her gloves back on and rolled her pant leg back down.  Billy wiped his bloody hands on the carpet and put the train map back into his pocket.  They both stood up and took out their pistols, "Now what?"  Before Billy could answer, they heard footsteps coming from somewhere inside the building.  Billy and Rebecca stood still and listened to the soft, but quick thudding of footsteps, trying to decipher where they were coming from.  They were coming from somewhere upstairs when they stopped.  "More zombies?" 

"I don't think so," Billy answered still listening for the sounds, "They are moving fast, like someone's running." 

"But zombies can't move that fast," Rebecca finished, "The dogs maybe?" 

"It can't be.  Those footsteps sounded like they were on two feet and the dogs run on all fours." 

"Well, then what could it be?" 

"I don't know." 

"Let's split up and look for it.  We can cover more ground that way." Rebecca walked up the stairs and turned left at the fork in the stairs, trying not to look at the portrait. 

"Yeah.  Good idea." Billy walked up the right side.  He tried to open the two doors on the side, but they were both locked.  The one farthest from the statue had the emblem of a clock carved into the doorknob and the other was locked from the other side.  He notified Rebecca about his find and went for the double door behind the statue.  Rebecca watched him go in before she opened the door to the statue's right.  

Billy ended up in a large conference room.  The walls were lined with paintings.  In front of him were two columns of desks with four desks to a column.  Each desk was wooden and fairly long with two small, notebook-sized control panels.  A red light on the side of the panels indicated that they were off.  Billy picked up a notebook that was on one of the desks and read it: 

"Regulations for Trainees 

Training Facility Mission 

This training facility will raise a new generation of model employees to serve the future of Umbrella Corp.  Applying the strictest and most rigorous training standards, this facility will, without regard for gender, race, or creed, produce only the best candidates to be the global future leaders of Umbrella Corporation.  We look forward to the development of your leadership qualities.  

Training Facility Guidelines 

_Discipline, Obedience, Unity._  These three words are the basic principals, which govern Umbrella Corporation employees, and are to be considered the law of this facility.  Keep these words in line at all times.  Devote yourselves to your training and bring honor to yourselves and the corporation.  

James Marcus 

Director, 

Umbrella Corporation Management Training Facility."

"This is a training facility?" Billy thought, "Then those people on the train must have been some of the employees."  In front of the desks was a large podium that had another control panel on it.  Billy examined the panel and it said, "Security system is locked.  Please insert system disk."  Behind the podium was a screen.  Surrounding that desks and the podium was a short polished, wooden railing.  The opening in the railing was in front of the door that Billy entered through.  On the outside of the railing was another marble walkway.  To Billy's right, the walkway led around the railing to a typewriter and some shotgun shells.  To the left, the walkway led around the railing and past two doors.  The first one was unlocked and the second was another metal double door locked by the knights' swords.  At the end of the walkway was a wooden door that Billy discovered was locked from the other side.  Billy picked up the shotgun shells before he entered the unlocked door.**__**

The door led into a hallway filled with the stench of rotting flesh.  Several paintings lined the walls.  Billy walked around the corner and was greeted by a dead security guard.  She was, to Billy's surprise, his height.  The woman grabbed Billy and barely nipped him as he put his gun under her chin and fired.  Blood poured away from the bullet's entrance as well as the exit wounds.  She slumped to the ground as two more dead guards advanced.  Billy shot them down and continued down the hall and past a thin double door.  He turned another corner and faced a thick, red-painted, wooden door.  It had a fire motif carved into it and was locked.  Billy quickly turned around when he heard the mysterious footsteps run down the hallway.  Billy sped back down the hall and turned a corner.  He saw the double door close.  "Rebecca?" Billy called, "Is that you?" No answer followed, "Hello?"  There was still no answer.  Billy gripped his gun as he opened the double door and stepped inside with his gun pointed in front of him.  

The room sort of looked like a library.  There were tall bookcases and a few desks.  To Billy's left was an antique wooden desk with a map of the training facility on it.  Behind the desk was a metal crank with a missing handle that could raise the platform next to it through the ceiling to the third floor.  To Billy's right was a painting of a man next to a lit candle in a lantern that was attached to a wall with a door next to it.  The inscription below the painting said, "This light will guide you to a greater truth."  There was a microfilm on a small table below the painting.  Across from the painting was a cluttered desk with a computer.  Behind the desk was another cluttered desk and computer, but it was below some shelves and cabinets.  Next to the first desk was a locked door that looked exactly like the one in the painting, candle and all.  The candle in the lantern was out. 

Billy quickly searched the room trying to find who or what ran into the room just seconds earlier.  He found no traces of anything.  He suddenly came across the platform.  He looked at the hole in the ceiling leading to the third floor.  "Whatever that thing was, it must have escaped to the next floor," Billy thought, "But how?  No one can jump or reach that high.  And I don't see any way of climbing up." Billy studied the map before putting it and the microfilm in his pockets.  Billy noticed the inscription on the painting and got an idea.  He used his lighter and lit the candle next to the locked door.  As he did, he heard the door click unlocked.  He was about to open the door when he heard Rebecca's voice, "Billy?" 

            "Rebecca?" Billy answered, "Where are you?" 

"In the main hall again," Rebecca breathlessly answered over the radio, "I ran into that thing twice again!" 

"What thing?" 

"That weird leech monster from the train!  There were two of them!" 

"Are you okay?  

"I'm fine.  One of them hit me a couple times, but I'll be okay.  I'm just a little shaken up and tired from sprinting away from it for a while." Billy let out a sigh of relief.  

"Good.  Where did you see them?" 

"Remember that door by the hole that we came up through in the main hall?" 

"What about?"

"I went in there and I ended up I some hallway.  One of the doors in the hallway went into a bathroom.  The door at the other at the end of the hall was locked and had the clock thing carved into it.  I found some herbs and ammo, but then that thing formed behind me.  It stood still for a moment and then it looked like it changed inside out!  I ran away from it and back into the hall where another one appeared and attacked me."  

"Okay.  That qualifies as the weirdest thing here so far." 

"Yup.  It's like Psycho Gumby!  And it has long range attacks so be extra careful!" 

"_Long_-range attacks?" 

"Yeah.  It can stretch itself across a room." 

"That's not good.  You didn't happen to find a crank handle on the upper floor did you?" 

"Yeah, I did.  Some crows about the size of hawks crashed through the windows and started pecking at me once I picked it up."  

"Crows, huh?  This place just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?"

"Yeah, sure.  I found another document in that room before the crows came in." 

"What does it say?" Rebecca pulled the paper out of her back pocket and read it out loud.  

"It's old and some of it is illegible.  

'Notice To All Staff 

Regular meetings of the Vaccine Research and Infectious Agents teams will be held.  Both meetings are Security Level 5, and will be held in the following locations: 

1F W Operations Control Room

2F SE Meeting Room 

The security entry code shall be 8:15.  Thank you.' " 

"Okay, I guess that you'd expect that in an Umbrella training facility." 

"So this is a training facility, huh?"

"Yup." Billy filled Rebecca in on the documents and items that he found during their brief separation.  

"Did you find any trace of whatever has been running around?" 

"Yeah.  I never got a look at it but I saw something enter the room that I'm in now.  When I walked in, I didn't see it anywhere, but I think that I know where it went.  I need you to get over here with that crank handle if we're going to follow it." 

"Okay.  Where are you?" 

"Go to the top of the stairs and go through the door behind the statue.  Then go to the first door on your left.  Go down the hallway and through the first door that you see.  I'll be waiting for you there." 

"I'm coming.  Over and out."  Rebecca put her radio away and quickly ran to the room that Billy was in.  It took only a minute for Rebecca to reach him.  Billy was startled when Rebecca entered the room so suddenly.  She tossed him the crank handle.  

"Thanks," Billy acknowledged as he put the crank handle in place, "Now I need you to stand over there." Billy pointed to the platform.  Rebecca followed his directions.  

"What are you going to do?" Rebecca questioned.  

"You're going up to the third floor.  This is only direction that that thing could have gone.  Everything else is closed up." 

"Right.  Oh, Billy." 

"What?" 

"You need these," Rebecca tossed him the herbs she found earlier, "You're pretty beat up." Billy completely forgot about the wounds he got from the zombies in the engine car just before the train crashed.  

"Thanks." Billy started turning the crank and Rebecca slowly rose up to the top floor.  The platform completely covered the hole in the ceiling as it stopped.  The room was fairly small.  In front of her was a grandfather clock and a huge arrangement of cranks and gears behind it.  "Why would anyone need so much equipment for just one clock.  It's not like it's Big Ben or anything!"  The gears weren't moving and the clock wasn't working either.  The minute hand on the clock was missing.  To Rebecca's left was a table with some handgun ammo on it and some shelves.  To Rebecca's far left, at the other side of the room were a couple windows and two steps that led to a door.  

Rebecca stepped off the platform and screamed as two giant cockroach-like creatures dropped from the ceiling and landed in front of her.  Rebecca dodged out of the way as they took a swipe at her.  She aimed her gun and fired at the lion-sized insects.  The bullets of her Beretta hardly seemed to do any damage on them at all.  She emptied an entire clip on one of them until they died.  She quickly pulled out another clip to reload and evade the other monster at the same time.  She got hit in the thigh and dropped the clip.  Blood poured out of the new gash.  She quickly jumped onto the table and grabbed the ammo clip that rested on it.  Rebecca slapped the clip in as she saw the bug turn away from her.  It stopped and turned its head in the direction of the clock.  It stood still for a moment and then raced towards the gears behind the clock.  Rebecca took advantage of the bug's unknown distraction and opened fired.  She emptied the clip and watched as it let out a long screech and dropped to the wooden floor.  Yellow, acidy-looking fluid spilled out of its back and head.  Rebecca jumped down off the table and walked to the creature to examine it.  "What on earth is-?" her thought was interrupted when she heard footsteps run from behind the clock to the door.  She quickly got up to follow the footsteps, but all she saw was the door slam shut.  Rebecca picked the ammo clip up off the floor and reloaded before she followed the mysterious runner out the door.  

It was very dark outside.  Thick, dark clouds blocked any light that radiated from the full moon.  It stopped raining, but thunder and lightning was still present a long distance away.  Rebecca slowly and cautiously walked across the large balcony.  At the end of the balcony was an elevator with a large wooden box on it.  The elevator didn't seem to be working.  Several crows were stirred up because of the intruder than ran through just seconds before.  Rebecca ducked as they dive-bombed at her.  She ran across the balcony, picking up a red and green herb as she went.  She darted past the fountain and fired a couple shots at the birds before she entered the door that led back inside.  

Rebecca looked around the gargantuan room.  On the opposite side was another knight door.  To her left were two empty pools of some sort.  Both were littered with huge, barred cages with chains attached to the top.  Some of the cages were already lifted off the floor and hanging from the ceiling.  Rebecca followed the chains and her gaze landed on four cranks.  "This must be how they raise and lower the cages." Rebecca thought.  She looked in the pool farthest from her and saw something in one of the cages.  She climbed down the ladder into the pool and looked into the cage.  She saw a small red key in the center of it.  She reached her arm in and tried to grab it, but it was too long of a reach.  Rebecca gave up and climbed out of the pool.  She found a staircase next to the cranks that led back down to the second floor.  She ran down the stairs that emptied into a small hall.  There was one door on each side of the hall.  "Which one?"  Rebecca chose the door on the left side of the hall.  

Once she opened the door, two more cockroach monsters greeted her.  Rebecca immediately opened fire as they advanced on her.  She only fired a few shots before she jumped over them and rolled to the other side of the room that was filled with paintings and sculptures.  She hid behind one of the statues and kept firing as the creatures continued swiping at her.  They hit the sides of the statue, chopping it apart as they tried to get to the cop.  Rebecca climbed up on top of the statue as one of the insects went around behind her.  She leaned forward, tipped the sculpted stone over.  It fell to the ground with a crash as it crushed one of the insects.  Rebecca dropped her Beretta as she hit the ground.  She rolled across the rubble as the other bug followed her.  Her momentum stopped abruptly when she hit a green couch.  She pressed her hand on the seat to push herself to her feet again.  As she did, her hand touched something cold and hard.  She turned to see a grenade launcher rested on the couch.  She grabbed it and aimed at the bug.  Before she could fire, it pounced on her, pinning her to the carpet.  She pressed the barrel of the grenade launcher against the thing's thorax and pulled the trigger.  Yellow fluid sprayed everywhere as the thing exploded into dozens of pieces.  Rebecca stood to her feet and put her Berretta back into her pocket.  On the other side of the room was a large blue door.  She tried to open it, but it was locked.  A water motif was carved into the door.  She jumped as she heard the sudden beep of her radio.  

"Rebecca?  Have you found anything yet?" Billy's voice asked.  

"Indeed, I have," Rebecca answered, "I got a grenade launcher and just wasted some giant, creepy cockroach monsters!" 

"Sweet!  Have you found any trace of our mystery runner yet?" 

"Well, not much." Rebecca filled Billy in on everything that happened when they were separated in detail.  

"This place just keeps getting weirder and weirder, doesn't it?" Billy commented.  

"An understatement." 

            "Hey, you said that you were in an art room right?" 

            "Yeah, why?" 

            "I found a white, stone pair of miniature angel wings in a hollowed book called, The Book of Good." 

            "Where did you find it?" 

            "In a small room connecting to the one where we last saw each other.  I had the joys of encountering two zombies eating somebody on the floor," The memory of Edward suddenly flashed back to Rebecca and she grew quiet, "Rebecca?" 

            "Yeah?" Rebecca's voice was cracking as she spoke. 

            "Are you okay?" 

            "Yeah, I'm fine." Rebecca lied as a tear trickled down her cheek.  

            "Are you sure?  You seem a little-" 

            "Why did you ask if I was in an art room?" 

            "Since I have the angel's wings, I was wondering if maybe the angel could be in the room you're in." 

            "Oh, I see.  Because if it is in here, then we could put it on the statue's scales out in the main hall." 

            "You got it." Rebecca searched around the room, trying to find the angel.  She picked up some shotgun shells that were near a fireplace.  Her eyes kept traveling and landed on something sitting on a table.  She picked it up and was pleased to see that it was the angel.  It was obviously female and it had no head or arms and it was only a figurine of the torso.  

            "You were right.  I'll leave it on the scales in the main hall and keep searching for the runner." 

            "Yeah, me too.  Over and out."  Rebecca put her radio away and exited the room.  She went through the door on the other wall of the hallway.  She found herself in the main hall again.  

            "Our little runner must have unlocked the door and ran into the hall somewhere." Rebecca walked to the statue and placed the angel on the scales.  Rebecca jumped when she heard a loud crash coming from the conference room.  She darted inside.  She saw that the door on the far side of the walkway to the left that was locked had now been broken down.  She could see that the knocked-over door led to another balcony.  She looked to the door that led to the room where Billy and her separated, and saw that someone had locked the door by jamming a piece of wood between the door knob and the floor.  Someone was banging on the door and trying frantically to open it.  "Billy!  Is that you in there?" 

            "Rebecca!  Hurry get this door open!  I was chasing the runner and it locked me in here!" 

            "Hang on!" Rebecca pulled the wood out and opened the door.  

            "Where did it go?" Billy asked impatiently.  Rebecca was about to answer when they heard a scream coming from outside.  The duo raced onto the dark balcony.  They ran across the walkway and turned a corner to see three zombies lying on the ground.  Two had broken necks and were wearing radiation suits of some sort.  The other had her forehead mashed in.  At the end of the walkway, they saw someone kick a zombie off the balcony to the ravine below.  

"Hey!" Rebecca called out to it.  The shadow-covered individual looked up at Billy and Rebecca for a moment before it frantically looked around for a means of escape.  It found a trapdoor at its feet and pulled it open.  

"Oh no you don't!" Billy yelled as he grabbed the runner before it could jump down.  It struggled with more strength than he thought could come from such a small creature.  Billy tossed it away from the trapdoor and into a brick wall.  Its back hit the wall and it landed in a standing position.  It looked back and forth between Rebecca and Billy as they approached, cornering it.  It started whimpering and slid down the wall until it was in a sitting position.  

"Please don't hurt me!" it cried, burying its face in its hands.  Billy and Rebecca were relieved that it actually spoke.  

"Hey," Billy bent down, "It's okay.  We're not going to hurt you."  Billy took its hands away from its tear-stained face just as the moon peeked out from behind the clouds.  Its mysterious pale blue light finally showed the face of the frightened runner.  She was a young girl that looked a year or two younger than Rebecca.  She was stunningly beautiful, even more so than Rebecca.  She was Caucasian, but her skin was pale like that of a Japanese person.  She had dark blue-green eyes and strait hair that was raven black and down to her waist.  Her bangs flowed down the sides of her face and ended several inches past her shoulders.  She looked pretty strong, like the kind of person you wouldn't want to get into a fight with, even though she was only 5'3".  She was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of baggy jeans that looked too big for her.  Her feet were dirty and bare and her hair was a little damp.  

"Who are you?" the girl asked.  

"That's Rebecca Chambers," Billy answered while pointing to Rebecca, "And I'm Billy Coen.  We'll protect you from now on.  What's your name?"  The girl remained silent. 

"Who are you?" Rebecca asked using the nicest tone of voice she could.  The girl looked around at Billy and Rebecca for a moment before she finally spoke in a quiet voice.  

"I don't know."  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Yey!  The second chapter is finished!  Dun dun dun!  A survivor!  *gasp*  Who could she be?  You won't see more of this for a while now for 3 reasons: 

I'm having Writer's Block again.  I'll be working on my Halloween costume and decorations and stuff.  I NEED A BREAK! 

I'm sorry again for making you wait so long for this and I'm even more sorry to tell you that you'll have to go through that again! ;_;  Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed it.  Please review!


	3. The Deadliest of Weapons

HELLO PEOPLES!!  Sorry that this took two whole months, but I've been reading fanfics and working on my costume and having a great Halloween by chasing people with a chain as the infamous LISA TREVOR!  *Evil grin*  Anyways!  This is the chapter right before THE ULTIMATE WRITER'S BLOCK SO BEWARE!  Enjoy and CAROLYN!  PPPLLLLLLLEEEEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEEE REVIEW IF YOU'RE READING THIS!  *puppy eyes*  OH!  Cloud Strife!  Here's a message for you: 

Thank you for reviewing my story!  I really appreciate it!  Especially the way you actually gave advice!  I.e. Kind of non-flame that gave advice nicely!  HINT HINT PEANUTBUTTERSUNSHINE!!  I really would like to improve my story in any way I can.  And I can see your point with the stuff that needs improvement.  So how about this!  When you review this chapter, also give me your e-mail address so then maybe I could send you parts of the next chapter and stuff and you can help and advise me more on it as it progresses.  How's that?  If you don't want to, that's okay, but it's only a suggestion.  Oh!  My friend, Brody asked me to tell you to read Ch. 13 of his fic called "Really Random Story".  I read it!  It's very very funny!  

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil or Enya.  And for those of you who don't know, an aerial is a cartwheel with no hands and hemolymph is the circulating fluid (blood) of invertebrates.  Oh!  And as a random note, you guys remember what I called the herbs in the first chapter right?  Mbiriri and Ngendo?  Yeah.  Well, those are the names of these two boys in Kenya that my family is sponsoring!  God bless you both, oh children of cool names!  ON WITH THE FIC!  (I love saying that! ^_^)  

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **

Chapter 3 

**The Deadliest of Weapons **

            "I don't know!" the girl yelled out again in fear. 

            "You don't know who you are?" Rebecca asked, "Do you remember anything at all?" 

            "I don't remember anything that happened before an hour ago." The girl answered.  Rebecca suddenly remembered seeing some herbs on the balcony when they heard the girl scream.  She walked back around the corner, stepping over the bodies.  The balcony branched off in the middle, away from the building.  The cement bridge was suspended over a huge lake and stopped at a tall, round, brick tower.  Next to the tall pile of stone was a pair of red and green herbs.  Rebecca picked them up and put them in her pack before she walked back.  Meanwhile, Billy was still talking to the girl.  

            "What's your earliest memory?" Billy asked.  

            "I woke up somewhere in a-"

            "What happened to your fingers?" Rebecca asked with a concerned tone as she returned.  The girl seemed somewhat relieved that Rebecca interrupted her.  

            "What?" Billy asked confused. 

            "Look at her hands!" Rebecca exclaimed as she bend down to the girl to examine her.  Billy looked closer and saw that her long fingernails were filed down to points.  They were strangely bone-colored and weren't slightly detached at the top like normal fingernails.  The tips of her nails were slightly hooked, but it was very hard to notice.  He noticed that her toenails were the same way.  What was more important was the fact that her fingertips were stained with blood.  

            "How did this happen?" Billy asked.  

            "It's nothing.  I'm not hurt," she answered quickly wiping the blood onto her pants, "The blood must have splattered when I killed those monsters." 

            "You sure?  You've been wandering around for an hour, unarmed, with these things chasing you, and you never got bitten or anything?" Rebecca looked at the mystery-girl's hands only to see thin, black, vertical marks on her fingertips.  Jane Doe quickly pulled away.    

            "I'm perfectly fine." She insisted.  

            "You must be pretty tough then." Billy commented.  

"We'd better keep moving," Rebecca stated while pulling her Berretta out, "Do you know how to use this?" 

            "Enough to take out a few of those freaks." The girl stated while taking the gun from Rebecca's hand and aiming it.  

            "Okay.  Let's go."  Billy said as he stood up and led his two comrades to the trapdoor.  

            Billy climbed down the ladder followed by the survivor and Rebecca.  The room they were in was dark and it looked like another art room.  Sculptures and paintings were clumsily piled against the walls.  Two zombies lurched forward from the door on the other side of the room.  Billy opened fire on them first, then the girl fired her first shot into one of the zombies' chest.  She fired another shot from Rebecca's pistol and started getting the feel for it.  The undead duo fell to the ground in death.  "Nice shooting." Rebecca complimented the girl.  The unknown suddenly stood still and stiff and got the look that Billy and Rebecca got when they first heard her footsteps.  Before anyone could react, the girl suddenly grabbed Billy's knife and hardly looked at all when she threw it in Rebecca's direction.  The knife flew over Rebecca's shoulder and embedded itself directly in between the eyes of another member of the undead who just barely came around the corner.  

"Thanks, but I think that I'm better with a blade myself."  She tossed Rebecca her pistol before she strode over the once-again lifeless body to retrieve Billy's knife.  She bent down and grabbed the knife that was handle deep and impaling the body's skull.  She pressed her bare foot on the bloody face and pulled the dagger out with one hand.  

            "Where did you learn how to do that?" Rebecca asked, totally surprised.  

            "Yeah.  That was a pretty sweet move," Billy commented, "How did you know he was there?" 

            "I don't know," she answered, "I sensed his presence.  I just knew." 

            "Hey, Billy." Rebecca called.  

            "What?" Billy replied.  

            "I think I found something." 

            "What is it?" Rebecca handed Billy a black figurine of a muscular male without a head or arms.  The figurine was only a torso just like the angel statue that they found earlier including one outstretched bat wing.  

            "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Rebecca asked.  

            "Yeah.  This must be the 'evil' statue.  Now we just need to find the other wing."  Billy handed it back to Rebecca and she put it in her fanny-pack.  

            "There's something else here," the girl chimed in, "A shotgun with a strap and a gas canister."  She tossed Billy the shotgun.  

            "Cool," Billy thanked as he strapped the shotgun to his back, "You can keep my knife.  You're obviously better with it than I am!" Billy smiled at her. 

            "Thanks." The girl finally let out a smile that seemed to have the ability to shed light on any room, heart, or situation. 

            "No problem," Billy answered, "You still have those shotgun shells, Rebecca?" 

            "Yeah," Rebecca answered while digging through her pockets, "Here." She handed Billy the five unused shells and he stuffed them in his pocket along with his pistol.  Billy pulled the shotgun out of its holster and pumped it once before he spoke.  

            "Let's keep moving." 

            "Roger." Rebecca answered as she followed him around the corner and out the door.  

            The trio found themselves in a small hallway.  There was a door on the left side at the end of the hallway and a small stairway to the right.  They walked down the stairs and they were met by intense heat and the hissing sound of gas escaping.  A large boiler was running and a searing hot wall of steam was escaping one of the pipes and blocked the path.  Billy looked passed the endless maze of pipes and saw another small stairway and a few herbs.  "Maybe we can climb over the pipes." Billy thought.  He slowly reached out to touch one of the pipes.  His fingertips were a few inches away when he felt the heat coming off of them.  They couldn't go passed the boiler unless they wanted to get turned into a top sirloin trio.  

            "Too hot to climb over?" Rebecca asked. 

            "There's an understatement." Billy answered.  

            "We'll have to go through the door then." Jane Doe informed.  Billy nodded and followed the girls back up the stairs and through the door that they passed.  

            They walked into a dining room with eight zombies roaming around.  There were two cooks, one butcher, two waitresses, and three security guards.  The butcher staggered towards them with a bloody butcher knife clasped in his right hand.  Rebecca dropped the grenade launcher from her right hand to hold her Berretta with both hands for better aim.  The gunmen opened fire.  Rebecca emptied the rest of the clip on one of the waitresses.  Billy unloaded all six shotgun rounds, killing a cook and a security guard and severely weakening the other waitress.  As Billy and Rebecca reloaded, Jane Doe went in.  

She started by running up jumping to the second cook's face level.  She did a 360 spin and brought the sharp blade to its neck.  She slit its throat deeply with much aggression, decapitating it.  She got a strange thrill and satisfaction as she felt the blood spray onto her face and watched his headless body collapse.  Rebecca didn't have any more ammo for her pistol so she put it away and picked up her grenade launcher.  Billy and Rebecca aimed their loaded weapons at the approaching butcher along with the weakened waitress by his side.  They were about to open fire when the butcher lunged for Jane Doe.  Rebecca lowered her weapon and pushed the barrel of Billy's shotgun to the floor before she told him, "It's too risky.  You could hit her."  

Meanwhile, Jane Doe dodged the butcher's lunge for her and grabbed his right wrist with her left hand.  She swung his hand with the butcher knife still in it.  The blade sank deep into the waitress's chest, killing her before she hit the ground.  The blade wielder quickly stabbed the butcher in his left temple before she claimed his knife in her left hand and kept Billy's in her right.  As the butcher fell, he exposed the last two guards to the girl.  She did an aerial over the butcher, kicking the first guard with one foot after another.  She dropped her weapons and let her fists fly.  She jabbed the guard in the face with her left fist and crossed with her right.  She did a left hook before she finished her combo with a right upper-cut.  The guard fell back with her head nearly torn off as her opponent got ready for a strike on the last guard.  She jumped up and kicked him twice in the face as she did a back flip.  His head snapped back as he fell backward to the floor.  Jane Doe didn't hear his neck snap so she stood alert with her weapons ready.  He stood to his feet and moaned mockingly at her.  She threw the blades into his torso, but he kept coming.  His enemy growled in frustration.  The girl did a front flip landing with his head in between her knees.  "DIE ALREADY!" she screamed as she pulled herself down to the floor and put her hands above her head.  She landed and did a back handspring, throwing the zombie behind her and into a wall.  He landed up side down with his back against the plaster.  He nearly broke through it on impact and snapped his neck when he hit the floor headfirst.  

"Well," Billy broke the silence, "I think you just answered the question of how you were able to survive here unarmed!"  The girl chuckled as she turned the body of her last opponent over.  

"Is it just me," Rebecca asked, "Or are all of those guys really big?  Because most of them seem at least a foot taller than me!" 

"It isn't you," the girl answered while pulling the knives out of the body, "All of them are Billy's size if not bigger." 

"That's really weird and creepy," Billy commented, "I wonder why."  The girl wiped the blood off her face and the knives with her shirt.  She slipped the two knives through the belt loops on her jeans.  She turned a corner into the kitchen whose open door had the fire emblem on it.  

"Anything in there?" Rebecca asked.  

"Do any of you guys have a lighter?" she asked. 

"I do." Billy answered.  

"Do you need a refill on fluid?" Billy checked his lighter. 

"Yeah," he answered, "I'm running a little low." The girl came out of the kitchen with a can of lighter fluid in her hand.  She tossed it to Billy who caught it and poured some into his lighter.  

"Is there anything else in there?" Rebecca asked as she remembered the gas canister in the room before, "Any bottles and old rags?"  The girl went back in the kitchen.  

"Three.  Why?" she answered.  

"Be right back!" Rebecca called as she ran back to the dark art room.  She returned moments later with the gas canister.  

"Molotov Cocktails?" Billy asked.  

"Yup," Rebecca replied, "Can I have those bottles and rags?"  The girl came out and tossed them to her.  Billy helped Rebecca stuff rags into the bottles and filling them with gasoline.  

"I'll carry those for you." The unknown offered.  

"Okay.  Thanks," Billy answered while giving her the cocktails and his lighter, "You can light these up to use them as grenades when you need to."

"Speaking of grenades," Rebecca stated as she picked something up from the corner of the room, "I have eleven of them now."  Rebecca put the six grenade rounds into her pack.  

"Good," the girl commented, "Let's go."  

"Wait a second," Rebecca requested, "Billy, do you have any handgun ammo on you?  I'm out."  

"This is the last one," Billy said as handed the clip to Rebecca.  She reloaded her pistol before they walked out of the double doors.  

They ended up back in the main hall.  Billy and Rebecca trotted up the stairs to the scales.  Rebecca pulled the black figurine out and placed it on the scale opposite the angel.  Billy pulled the angel wings out and put them on the white figurine.  The two were about to leave when they heard an alto voice singing in an elegant language.  Neither of them knew what the language meant, but Rebecca recognized it.  They looked over the railing to see their new comrade sitting on the stairs, singing.  The cocktails sat next to her, forgotten.  She had her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin rested on her knees.  She rocked herself side to side slightly as she sang  "Ebudae" by Enya.  The song had a 1-2 beat to it and sounded like it would be complete if it had the rhythm of a drum behind it.  The short, but joyful chant repeated itself once before it changed.  Jane's voice changed to a high alto as the song's melody transformed to a soothing wind in Rivendell.  Then the chant changed back to the way it was when she started, but the words sounded just slightly different.  Rebecca found herself quietly doing an echo as the song repeated itself and came to a close.  

"You have a beautiful voice." Rebecca complimented.  

"You aren't so bad yourself." She replied.  

"That was from Enya," Rebecca informed, "I thought that you didn't remember anything." 

"I don't," she answered as she picked up the cocktails and walked up the stairs, "I remember a lot of songs, but I don't know what they are called and where they were from."  The trio walked to the door that led to the third floor.  

"I've never really heard of Enya, but it sound nice," Billy commented, "When did you start remembering the songs?" 

"About a half an hour ago," she answered as Rebecca pulled open the door and walked inside, "Singing calms me down.  It relieves my stress." 

"That's cool," Billy said as they walked up the stairs, "With a voice like yours, it would be easy to calm anyone."  They reached the top of the stairs and Rebecca walked to the empty pool.  

"You two stay here," Rebecca ordered, "Billy, crank the second handle to raise the cage so I can get the key out from under it." 

"Sure thing." Billy answered as he trotted to the crank and put his shotgun in its holster.  Rebecca set her grenade launcher down next to the ladder before she climbed down into the pool.  

"Crank it, Billy!" Rebecca called.  Billy cranked the handle with all his might as the cage rose.  

"Hurry up!  I can't hold it much longer!" Billy informed.  Rebecca bent down to pick up the key when her new companion froze again.  She looked toward the large vent next to the cage.  

"Oh God," she murmured as her eyes went wide with fear, "It's coming." 

"You can drop the cage now, Billy!" Rebecca informed.  

"Thank you!" Billy replied with relief as he let go of the crank, dropping the cage with a slam.  

"Rebecca!  Get out of there NOW!" the girl ordered.  

"What's wrong?" Rebecca asked as she put the key in her pocket.  

"It's coming!" she repeated as she set the cocktails down.  

"What's coming?" Rebecca asked.  She suddenly heard a hiss coming from behind her.  It got louder and louder as she started to hear a clicking sound along with it.  She slowly turned her head around to see a fifty-foot long centipede come smashing through the vent at her feet.  She screamed as she ran to the ladder and started climbing.  As she reached for the girl's hand, she felt a strong force pull her legs.  She fell to the ground and pulled her pistol out.  She turned over onto her back and was about to fire when the centipede grabbed her torso.  "AAAAAAA!!  HELP ME!"  It pulled her to its mouth and rose up out of the pool.  

"REBECCA!" Billy screamed as the monster opened its mouth.  Rebecca raised her gun and fired frantically into its massive head.  It shrieked in pain as it thrashed about, throwing its meal around like a rag doll.  Rebecca's empty pistol flew out of her hands and landed next to the crank.   

"Billy!" the unknown called as she tossed him the grenade launcher.  Billy caught it, aimed and opened fire on the thing's exposed underside.  It screeched even louder, but refused to let Rebecca go as Billy blew five holes in it.  The unknown lit the three Molotov Cocktails on fire and chucked them at the centipede.  The bottles exploded into a wall of flame.  The monster screeched even louder as the flames etched their presence into its open wounds.  It thrashed around as it tried to back up and move around the fire.  In its mad struggle, the pinchers on its back end tore one of the cage's chains out of the wall.  Billy dropped the empty grenade launcher and pulled out his shotgun.  The girl threw Billy's dagger into the creature's flesh just below Rebecca's feet.  It didn't seem to affect it at all.  Billy's shotgun on the other hand was doing some damage.  Jane Doe spotted the chain and grinned at her idea.  She quickly ran to the emptied pool and jumped down inside.  She picked up the long chain and started swinging it above her head.  She prayed that her plan would work when she let go.  When she released the long piece of metal, it wrapped around the centipede's neck.  She immediately pulled on it, getting the monster's attention.  It felt the tension and retaliated by pulling away in the opposite direction.  Yes!  Just what the girl wanted it to do!  It yanked her out of the pool, causing her to swing towards it.  Billy ceased fire when he saw his new ally moving in the way.  He gawked at her, not believing what she was doing.  The girl climbed up the chain faster than both Rebecca and Billy could think possible.  When she reached Rebecca's level, two of the arms holding Rebecca reached over and grabbed her.  She took out the butcher knife out and started hacking away at the four arms that were holding them.  The giant invertebrate cried out in pain and started thrashing around again.  She kept a tight hold on the chain as the severed arms dropped to the floor.  The hemolymph stained the girls' clothes.  The unknown paid no attention to it as she went to work on the arms that imprisoned Rebecca.  Billy dropped his shotgun as Rebecca slipped loose.  She fell twenty feet into his arms.  The other girl landed on her feet next to them after she slammed the butcher knife into the creature's chest.    

"Rebecca," Billy stated as he set her on her feet, "Are you alright?" 

"I'm okay." Rebecca looked over and saw the grenade launcher several yards away.  She remembered that she had six grenades rounds in her pack.  She ran over to it, not knowing that the centipede had its eyes on her.  It opened its mouth and lunged for her.  

"Rebecca!  Look out!" Billy warned as he picked up the shotgun and pulled the trigger.  He heard a loud click of an empty chamber.  The girl beside him started seeing things in slow motion.

"Oh no," Jane Doe thought to herself, "Billy can't pull out another gun in time, much less reload his shotgun!  That centipede's so big and moving fast!  There's no way that Rebecca can get out on her own!  But we both wouldn't make it if I went in to save her!  What to do?  What to do!?  I can't just leave her in there to die!  She doesn't deserve it!  Should I use my-NO!  THEY CAN'T FIND OUT!  THEY'D KILL ME FOR SURE IF THEY KNEW!" 

"That's the reason why you kept running isn't it?" a voice in her head prodded.  

"Yes!  Exactly why!" 

"But when they found you, did it seem like they would want to hurt you?" 

"Of course, no!  Not at the time!  But that's because they don't know!  They should be afraid of me!  Even I am afraid of me!  What makes you think they wouldn't be scared too?" 

"Because you have no desire to hurt them!" the voice shot back.  

"BUT I WILL SOMEDAY!  YOU KNOW THAT!  AND THEY WILL KNOW TOO IF THEY FIND OUT THAT-" 

"But you can control that instinct for now can't you?" 

"Yes, but I don't know for how much longer!  For all I know, I could just turn and kill them right now without being able to stop myself!" 

"THEN WHY DON'T YOU DO THEM A FAVOR AND KILL YOURSELF!?" 

"Be-because I want to help them while I still can." 

"And the only way you can do that is to show them." 

"But they'll-" 

"Kill you?  Yes, it's a possibility.  But you're going to die soon anyways, so why should it matter?" 

"IT DOESN'T!" the girl shouted out loud.  Billy just stared as she darted for the centipede faster than any man has ever gone before.  She let out a primal scream as she jumped thirty feet into the air.  She sailed towards the centipede with her arms outstretched and her claws drawn.  Yes, claws!  The black slits on the tips of her fingers had opened up and her foot-long claws shot out.  Her strange fingernails turned out to be the ends of her claws.  As gravity pulled her down towards the centipede's face, she shot her hands in front of her at the last minute.  The monster screamed and was knocked back as the claws sunk into its eyes.  Rebecca ran out of the way towards Billy with the grenade launcher.  They both reloaded their weapons and watched in shock at what their comrade was doing.  She then swung up onto the top of its head and repeatedly stabbed her claws into it.  The monster thrashed around trying to shake the little girl off.  When it turned around, it smashed one of the knights whose sword was blocking the door.  The sword clattered on the floor as the girl was thrown across the room.  Once she was away from the centipede, Billy and Rebecca opened fire. Rebecca unloaded three grenades into the wounds from the knifes that was still lodged into its flesh.  Billy simultaneously shot a few times into its blinded face.  

Meanwhile, the girl landed next to the sword on her hands and feet.  She saw the sword and the claws quickly retracted back into her fingers and the black slits closed up.  She picked up the double-edged sword whose blade was three and a half****feet long and handle was as long as her claws.  She held the blade in her right hand and jumped into the air again.  Rebecca and Billy ceased fire when they saw her coming.  The young fighter did a 360 spin towards the invertebrate's face with the sword held behind her.  When she was close enough, she pulled the sword around with her arm still stretched out.  She put all of her weight into the slash to achieve maximum damage.  The blade swung inward horizontally and cut up the centipede's mandibles.  Hemolymph poured out of its flesh and eyes, pooling on the floor and spraying the walls as it thrashed again and again.  The girl's rage and insanity got stronger as more of the blood drenched her.  She did another 360 when she was landing with the wet sword held across her left arm.  She landed on her left knee and hand next to the centipede.  She watched with pleasure as the creature fell to the floor, screaming with its last amount of strength.  It suddenly made a final lunge at her, trying to capture her in its torn jaws.  It desired to avenge its broken body before it died.  Its worthy enemy evaded and ran up the side of the towering wall next to it.  She did a back flip off the stone falling down towards her enemy.  As she was flipping, she brought the sword up in both her hands with the blade pointed down.  She landed her flip on one knee while her hands thrust the sword down through the top of its head.  The sharp piece of steel cut down into its brain, spraying its fluid from the fatal injury.  It made one last screech before it went limp in death, letting the blood create a huge pool around its wounds.  

The young girl treasured this moment: the death, the destruction, and the killing.  She loved it!  And the blood!  Oh, the blood!  The young girl had a lust for it like a vampire!  She screamed like an animal as she pulled the sword from its fleshy sheath, causing Rebecca to drop her grenade launcher in surprise.  Billy and Rebecca just looked on in horror as she violently licked the hemolymph and cerebral fluid from the drenched blade.  But even all of the blood on the blade wasn't enough for her.  She needed more!  She tossed the blade into a wall where it smashed to pieces.  She unsheathed her claws once more and started scratching away at the centipede's head.  After her claws were soaked, she let out a low growl and brought them to her lips.  She proceeded to ingest the liquid along with pieces of flesh that hung from the tips of her finger blades.  When she finished, she let out a cry of pain as blood poured from her mouth.  Not the centipede's blood, but her blood!  She put her hands over her mouth, muffling her screams.  She tasted dozens of hard objects on her tongue.  She took her hands away and spit them out.  All of her blood-stained teeth fell onto the floor.  She opened her mouth and let out another scream as fangs took the place of her human teeth.  Her new teeth were the same size as her old ones with the exception of her canines.  They, on the other hand, were an inch long.  She fell off of the centipede and onto the floor.  The blood dripped from her mouth as she lay silent.  

Billy and Rebecca stood perfectly still with only the ability to stare at her.  What was going on?  Is the girl okay?  Will she turn on them now?  But most importantly, why was she in this condition?  Where did she get the claws and the fangs?  How could she do all of the outrageous things that she did in a matter of minutes?  They both let out a small gasp as their crazed comrade groaned a little and slowly stood to her feet.  She spat the remaining blood from her mouth and advanced on her allies.  Billy backed up and raised his shotgun at the girl in fear.  He was about to pull the trigger when the girl raised a clawed hand.  

"Stop!" her voice echoed, "It's okay.  I don't want to hurt you." 

"Stay away from us!" Billy ordered, pulling Rebecca behind him protectively.  

"Trust me."  

"NO!" Rebecca shot back, "NOT AFTER WHAT WE JUST SAW!  WHY SHOULD WE TRUST YOU?!"

"Because I want to help you.  I did what I did because I was only trying to protect you." 

"Oh yeah?!  Does drinking blood fall into the protecting category?!" Billy snapped.  

"I may have a blood lust," she sighed, "But I'm the only one who can control it."

"What the hell are you?" Rebecca asked, still a little fearful.  

"I'm sorry that I never told you before, but I was afraid that you'd kill me if you found out," she answered as her claws slowly sank back into her fingertips, "That's why I kept running from you." 

"WHAT ARE YOU?" Rebecca demanded.  The girl reached into her right hip pocket and pulled out a crumbled up piece of paper.  

"I tore this out of an employee's diary earlier.  I was afraid that if you found it, you would kill me.  After you came, I started hunting around this place looking for things like this."  She tossed Rebecca the paper and the frightened officer opened it up.  Billy put his shotgun back in its holster and read silently over Rebecca's shoulder as she read it out loud.  Part of the paper was unreadable because it had a small bloodstain on it. 

" 'June 20, 1998 

            I have recently been assigned to a new project called "Fangora."  We got a new unique test subject a few days ago.  Earlier, we had her down in the dungeon with her   r  t . After an amazing demonstration, the guys watching her down in the dungeon decided that she would make a fabulous B.O.W.!  The girl has been in the test tube here ever since.  She's a major hottie!  I got a picture of her before they stuck her in the tube.  It's a shame that I didn't have enough time to have a bit of fun with her.' " 

"Sick pervert!" Billy commented.  He and Rebecca looked at the picture.  Billy looked away after the first glance.  Rebecca crumpled it up and tossed it aside after she identified the girl in the picture was the ferocious fighter in front of them.  The photographer/employee and his picture sickened Billy and Rebecca.  It was a photo of the their comrade naked and unconscious in an unzipped body bag.  

" 'The T-Virus has done an interesting thing to her,' " Rebecca continued, " 'I heard that she already possesses retractable claws on her fingers and from the x-rays, I guess nobody was lying.  Not only has there been abnormal growth in her hands, but also in the tailbone, gums, scalp, feet, shins, vocal cords, skin, and shoulder blades.  I heard that she demonstrated not only her claws, but an amazing amount of strength, speed, agility, aggression, and heightened senses.  Her hands absolutely fascinate me!  She has very strange fingernails, which are actually the tips of the claws.  They are exactly like the claws of the Hunters except hers are thinner of course.  She also has these thin black slits on the tips of her fingers that travel from the nails down across the fingertips.  We discovered that these slits are openings in the skin.  Well, they are now after the first time she used them.  We discovered that there are small muscles on either side of each slit that pull the skin back.  Thus, making an opening so the rest of the claw can come out via muscles that extend from behind the wrist to the fingertip.  And when the claws go back in, the muscles close the skin.  I presume that she will be the deadliest of our weapons.  Fangora will soon be our Angel of Death.' "  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*GASP* She's a B.O.W.!  The plot thickens!  BWA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  And I am so sorry because now is the time for the ultimate writer's block!  I'm debating on whether I should skip ahead in the game or not because I don't think that anything really interesting or important will happen for a while and I don't want to bore anyone, so give me your opinion on WHAT THE FREAK I SHOULD DO!  This is hopefully going to be the only time that I will ask for assistance from all of my reviewers!  HELP ME!!!  By the way, do you guys think that the whole singing thing is cheesy?  Cause if you don't say anything, she'll keep singing every now and again.  Not much, I don't think.  Maybe like two or three more times.  Oh!  If you people's want to know what her song sounded like, "Ebudae" is on a CD by Enya called, "Shepard Moons."  You should listen to it sometime because it's really cool!  Oh!  Good news!  While I was having writer's block on this, I ended up writing the nine-page epilogue of this story!  ^_^  So in the end, you will get two chapters in a row!  Aren't you happy?!  AND THANK YOU MY DEAR FRIEND JESSICA (Padawan) FOR HELPING ME ON ALL OF THE CHOREOGRAPHY!!  YOU ARE AN ANGEL!!!  I SHALL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL!  Jessica is not someone who goes on this site, but is one of my best buddies who likes to help with this sort of stuff!  With that said, I shall leave you alone so you can review!  This is my Christmas present to all of you, so I hope that you liked it!  MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH, AND WHATEVER ELSE TO EVERYONE! 


	4. Viral Infection

Hello!  I'm so flipping sorry that I haven't updated for God knows how many months!  Writer's block came and went but then school turned into a Nazi concentration camp, so I didn't have time!  Once again, I am so sorry!  And SukiSaki person!  I am still scared at how you guessed correctly on what would happen in the 3rd chapter!  Oh!  I have a new disclaimer!  

Disclaimer:  I don't own Resident Evil, Enya, and other stuff that might come up, but I DO own Liana, Surguru, Chloe (EVIL COMPUTER WON'T LET ME MAKE AN ACCENT MARK!), Jason, Yirga, Naoto, Nzusku, Tom, and Lauren!  Kate will still be in this, but I changed her name to Liana!  Just a heads up since I invented new characters!  Try to guess which one is Fangora!  And the name Fangora came out of my messed up mind, so IT'S MINE!  

I won't annoy you anymore with an excessively long author's note, so let's get started! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter 4 

**Viral Infection **

            Rebecca and Billy stood in stunned silence while Fangora watched them, waiting for a reaction.  Rebecca dropped the paper, her mind debating with itself on what to do and believe.  "Y-you're a bio-organic weapon?" Billy questioned. 

            "Yeah," the enigmatic girl answered, "I understand that it's hard for you to believe.  I can hardly believe it myself, but it's true." 

            "What do you know about this T-Virus?" Rebecca asked. 

            "About an hour ago, I woke up in a test tube filled with some type of fluid that looked like water," she started, "I woke up not knowing who I was, where I was, why I was there, or how I even got in the capsule.  I smashed out of it easily and found some clothes in a locker.  I tried getting into the few computers that were still working, but they were all locked up with passwords.  The information I know came out of file cabinets.  The T-Virus, or Tyrant-Virus, was created for use in creating B.O.W.s like me.  The virus usually turns people into zombies and increases the host's size, stamina, and strength." 

            "But who is making the virus?" Rebecca interrogated.  

            "The Umbrella Corporation." Fangora answered. 

            "Wait a minute," Billy commented, "How is that possible? Umbrella is a pharmaceutical company." 

            "That's exactly what they want everyone to think," Fangora informed, "The whole pharmaceutical thing is just a lie to blind the world from the truth.  They don't help people at all!  I'm living proof of that!  Everything you've ever fought here is a result of the virus!  They are all weapons created by Umbrella.  Most not intentionally though." 

            "What do you mean?" the young officer asked. 

            "Apparently, the virus leaked and all of the monsters were set free.  Every employee here is now a zombie.  They are a result of the leak.  I don't know how it happened though." 

            "What monsters are we up against besides zombies, dogs, leeches, scorpions, and centipedes?" Billy asked while checking his ammo and putting the shotgun back in its holster.  He had 10 pistol and 3 shotgun rounds left.  Fangora shrugged and Rebecca suddenly got a horrendous headache.  She shut her eyes tight and held her forehead.  She felt nauseous and dizzy as her knees gave out from under her causing her to fall to the floor.  Her spontaneous pain and weakness startled Billy.  

            "Whoa," Billy knelt down and put a hand on her shoulder, "What was that?  Are you okay?" 

            "What happened?" Fangora quickly asked.  

            "I'm not sure," Rebecca answered blinking, "I'm okay now.  I just got a headache and felt nauseous and really weak for a moment." 

            "When were you first bitten?" Fangora inquired.  

            "Uh, at least an hour ago.  Why?" 

            "And you never took any anti-serum?" 

            "No.  I never found anything like that.  I just used some first aid spray and herbs to heal the wounds." 

            "You're infected!" Fangora exclaimed.  

            "What?!" Rebecca yelled in fear.  

            "That's how the T-Virus is transferred."  Billy and Rebecca glanced at each other, both scared and not wanting to believe.  

"No." was all Rebecca could breathe out.  Billy shook his head and stood up, turning his back on the girls.  

            "In that case, I'm infected too.  I can't believe this." he commented, crossing his arms.  

            "Believe it, Bill.  Just the smallest bite or scratch will infect you.  Symptoms start about an hour after infection and get worse as time passes.  They include nausea, dizziness, aching, blurred vision, and weakness.  Then you will start to run a fever and vomit with your flesh feeling hot and itchy.  Lastly, you'll pass out and all body heat will eventually be lost as the flesh becomes pale and start to rot." 

            "STOP!" Rebecca suddenly managed to cry out to her.  She had been holding that plea inside her ever since the B.O.W. started telling her of the terrible fate she would suffer.  Her life started flashing before her eyes through the blurry, minute, wet orbs of liquid that dripped down her face.  Rebecca suddenly thought of Edward and nearly screamed out loud with the thought of becoming like her twice-fallen comrade.  

            "I'm sorry," Fangora apologized, "I was only telling you what I knew about the virus.  But don't worry!  There's a cure!  I saw it!  You just stay here and I'll get some for you two!"  Before Billy or Rebecca could say anything, Fangora turned and sped across the room.  She jumped over the dead centipede, and ran through the door to the outside.  

            "Come on, Rebecca," Billy grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet, "Let's go." 

            "Why?  Fangora told us to wait here for the anti-serum!" Rebecca protested while wiping the tears from her face.  

            "Don't tell me that you actually trust that thing!" 

            "As a matter of fact, I do!  And she isn't a _thing_!  She's still human!" 

            "Oh yeah?!  And how long do you think that's going to last?!  Not even _she _knows!"  

            "SHE HELPED US BEFORE!" 

            "AND DID YOU SEE WHAT SHE DID TO THAT THING!" Billy pointed to the huge corpse, "IM NOT WAITING AROUND FOR HER GO BALLISTIC AGAIN AND MUTILATE US!"  Billy turned his back on Rebecca. 

            "But she's our only hope for getting the anti-virus!  Without her we'll-"

            "THAT'S BULLSHIT, REBECCA!"  Billy barked as he turned to face her.  Rebecca fell silent and stepped away from him.  For the first time, he scared her.  For the first time she feared he would kill her.  His eyes burned with anger and resentment as he followed her steps.  He seemed so much taller than her now.  

            "Oh no," Rebecca thought, "What's he going to do to me?" 

            "I will never understand why you trust her." 

            "B-but it makes sense!  It explains everything!" 

            "There is no way in hell that I am trusting anything she says!" 

            "But that doesn't make any sense, Billy!" 

            "JUST SHUT UP, YOU BITCH!"  Billy gave Rebecca a hard shove to the stone floor.  She sat back up and looked at Billy with more fear than before.  

            "He's going to pull out his gun and shoot me isn't he?" she thought.  Rebecca could just imagine him pulling out his pistol and putting a bullet through her skull with an emotionless look plastered on his face.  Billy got down and grabbed onto the hips of her pants, "Shit!  I knew it!  He's going to rape me!  I should have shot him when I had the chance!"  Rebecca struggled and tried to get away from him.  He had to pin her to the floor to keep her under control.  Billy felt around her hips before he reached underneath Rebecca and slipped his hands into her back pockets.  His right hand got a grip on something before he pulled them both out.  

            "Don't freak so much, girl.  I just needed the key," Billy informed as he got off of her with the fire emblem key in hand, "I'm gonna get out of here.  If you want to sit around and get killed, fine!  See if I give a damn when Fangora comes back to dismember you!"  Rebecca watched him trot down the stairs and heard the door close below.  Her heart was filled with hurt, anger, worry and frustration.  For reasons she didn't understand why, she was mostly hurt by Billy's sudden outburst and felt tears trickle down her face.  Why did Billy's attitude cut through her so bad?  

            "Why should I care what he says to me?" she thought out loud, "Why should I worry about him anyways?  If he dies, the bastard will deserve it!  He can just drop dead and turn into a zombie for all I care!  So why am I worried about him?  Well, because he's saved my life before and I know I can't do this on my own.  But I have Fangora now to protect me, so why am I still worried about Billy?  Do I-no!  I can't!  But-but I have to save him as repayment for all the times he helped me!  He needs the anti-virus!"  Rebecca stood up and grabbed her 9mm Beretta and grenade launcher.  She stored her empty pistol and checked her launcher's ammo.  She had three rounds left in it.  She felt another wave of nausea and almost fell again.  She stood still for a moment to gather herself before she descended the stairs, "I just need to pull him back over here.  It won't take long." 

            "Stupid cop," Billy thought as he used the fire emblem key, "What does she think she's doing? How can she believe Fangora?  This whole thing is ludicrous!"  Billy pushed open the door and aimed his low-on-ammo pistol in front of him.  The only light that even slightly illuminated the room was the light from the bloodstained hallway behind him.  A foul stench entered his nose as he slowly stepped inside, trying to make his eyes adjust to the darkness.  He could barely make out a line of bookcases ahead of him and cluttered desks with computers, open books, papers, and boxes everywhere to the left.  

            He ran a hand over the wall next to the doorframe trying to find a light switch.  He grinned when he felt one.  He flipped it and muttered a harsh curse when nothing happened.  He knew at least one of those rotting beings was in the room, but he couldn't see because of the lack of light and he didn't hear any unearthly groans.  It was a possibility that the smell was the sewage that still clung to his pants and shoes.  At least that's what he hoped.  

            His heart pounded in his chest as he moved further into the shadow.  The smell got stronger with every step.  He gasped when he heard a moan and felt something grab his right ankle.  He swung his left foot and kicked the phantom zombie.  He sighed in relief when he heard the crunch of the skull fracturing and felt the grip loosen.  He pulled his foot free from the lingering hand of the corpse and continued forward.  He found his way to the bookcase and turned to his left where the light disappeared.  Billy picked up the pace a bit until he hit something.  His eyes went wide and he let out a high-pitched squeak.  The convict cringed and bent down a little.  He just slammed his crotch into a desk.  He tried to straighten himself up and suck in the pain in case a zombie came up behind him, but it didn't really work out.  He was startled when a flash of light blinded him.  

            "Billy?" Rebecca's voice sounded from the doorway, "Is that you?  You ok?" 

            "Get that light out of my eyes, dumbass!" Billy screamed with a still high-pitched voice, which made Rebecca giggle a little as she lowered the flashlight.  

            "You slammed your crotch, didn't you?" Rebecca teased as she set her grenade launcher on the top of a pile of boxes****next to her.  

            "Only because you're dumb enough to not follow me in the first place!" 

            "I came back so you could wait with me for the vaccine!" Rebecca shouted angrily.  

            "Why are you so desperate to keep me with you?" Billy's voice was normal again and he was somewhat able to stand tall, "I thought you hated me."  

            "You're infected too and you need to come back with me so we can be healed!" 

            "Rebecca!" Billy found his way back to her, "I don't need to go back and neither do you!" 

            "But-" 

            "We are NOT infected with ANYTHING!" 

            "Yes we are!" Rebecca persisted.  As she did, she felt dizzy again and fell into the wall.  

            "Look, if you want to go back and wait for Fangora then do so!  But stop trying to drag me back up there with you because no matter what you say, I won't follow you!"  Rebecca sat for a moment after she recovered from her sudden pain to think about what she would do.  Billy just watched her with impatient eyes and crossed arms.  

            "What should I do?" Rebecca thought, "Should I follow him?  Maybe he's right about Fangora and I shouldn't trust her.  But there's so much evidence that leans to her favor!" 

            "While you're sitting around thinking about it, can I have your flashlight so I can see what I'm doing in here?" Billy asked, reaching out his hand.  

            "Fine." Rebecca handed him the light.  Billy took it, turned away and clicked it on.  He held it under the barrel of his pistol as he walked back to the table that caused him so much pain.  He climbed over it and landed on another zombie's head.  He groaned in disgust when he felt coagulated blood squirt up his pants onto his leg.  He moved forward off the crushed head to the light switch next to the chimney.  He flipped it on and was relieved when he saw that no more zombies were in the room.  Rebecca stood up and started looking around the cluttered workstations for any proof to support Fangora's claims.  She was half hoping she wouldn't find anything, but found a handgun clip and slapped it into her empty Berretta.  Billy just put his pistol away and looked for anything to open the locked doors.  He was too scared to look for evidence.  If what Fangora said was true, he didn't want to know what was going to happen to him.  The answer had been trying to kill him for an hour and that was freaking him out enough.  He didn't want to show it, but he was terrified about everything at the moment.  Billy's eyes crossed over the moose head mounted above the fireplace and he spotted something on one of the antlers.  He couldn't see what it was from the height he was at, so he turned around and ran to the desk with the headless zombie beneath it.  

            "Hey Billy," Rebecca called from the other side of the room, "I think I found something." 

            "What is it?  Another piece of paper to prove you're smarter than me?" Billy coughed as he dragged the decomposing corpse out of the path the desk would take.  

            "Possibly," Rebecca scoffed, "It's the assistant director's diary."  

            "What's it say?" Billy asked, which he mentally kicked himself for a second after.  He didn't want to know.  Rebecca started reading as he pulled the desk toward the fireplace, 

" 'September 2nd

A useless bunch of trainees, as always.  Where does headquarters find these idiots?  We did get a couple of decent ones, though, so can't complain I guess.  William and Albert.  They might have a future.

September 25th

Scholar Will.  Practical Al.  They really are opposites.  And they're always competitive in everything they do.  There's something ruthless and cruel about them both...

October 7th

Got a sudden call from the Director.  It was to tell me to encourage a rivalry between those two!  It's the first time since this Training facility was built that Director Marcus has ever shown interest in anything other than his research.  Well, whatever.  Orders are orders.  I'm going to have them tearing at each other's throats.' " 

"I see," Billy reacted as he stood up on the desk.  

"So do you believe now?" Rebecca questioned as she coughed heavily.  Billy sighed and reached up to the antler.  

"Why should I?" he questioned as he grabbed the small object with his right hand and stepped down onto the floor.  

"Doesn't it seem a little bit odd to you that this company is encouraging ruthlessness and rivalry between employees?" 

"This is a pharmaceutical company, genius."  

"So?" 

"This 'Al and Will' hated each other, so they obviously wanted to outdo one another.  This company is always trying to find cures for diseases.  So by encouraging the competition between them, they would work longer and harder for a cure for cancer or something!  It was for a good cause!" 

"What are you talking about?" Rebecca was getting very frustrated, "First you deny that we are infected!  And now you're denying every piece of proof that this place wasn't as wonderful as everyone thought it was!  You're denying that this T-Virus exists!"

"This looks like a needle for a clock.  Do you know what to do with this?" Billy calmly asked, showing her the object.  Rebecca shoved it away from her face.

"Stop ignoring everything!  There IS a virus!  And we ARE infected!"  

"Shut up." Billy started getting aggravated. 

"The proof is all around you!  It's been trying to kill you for the last hour!" 

"Shut up!" Billy stumbled as he felt dizzy for a moment.  He was even more afraid than before.  He kept telling himself that it wasn't true, that it was just a coincidence.  

"See?  You're showing the first stages of infection now!  You're in denial!  Why won't you admit the truth?!" 

"I said SHUT UP!" Billy screamed as he slapped Rebecca across the face with his free hand.  As he did, the handcuffs around his left wrist hit her and cut her right cheek.  Rebecca's held her stinging and bleeding cheek as she stumbled back and turned into the desk she found the diary on.  When she caught her balance again, she turned to Billy who quickly advanced on her.  She gasped in fear and clumsily got on top of the table in attempt to get away as she silently sobbed.  Billy grabbed her ankle before she could stand.  

"Stay away from me!" Rebecca begged as she looked away from him.  

"Shut up and listen!" Billy ordered, "I have had enough of you trying to fill me full of bull about how screwed we are!  From now on, you're going to do what I say with no questions asked!  If I hear one more word from you about the virus that doesn't exist, your injuries will be beyond the cure of first aid spray!  You understand?" 

"Yes." Rebecca said quietly as she slowly nodded with a quivering chin. 

"Good," Billy said as he released her, "Now tell me where to use this."  Rebecca took the needle out of his hand and examined it.  She thought for a moment when she remembered the document she found in the room with the crank.  

" 'The security entry code shall be 8:15.' " Rebecca quoted while taking a deep breath.  

"What?" 

"That's what that paper said in the room where I found the crank." Rebecca reminded as she gave the needle back.  

"Yeah?  And?" 

"I found a grandfather clock that was missing the minute hand." 

"So you put this minute hand into it and you set it to 8:15 to open the two doors with the clock symbol on them?" 

"Exactly." Rebecca confirmed as she wiped some tears off her face. 

"Okay.  So where is the clock?" 

"We have to pass through the centipede roo-" Rebecca was cut off when Billy grabbed her neck.  

"No." he growled.  

"I swear I'm not lying!" Rebecca quickly exclaimed.  Billy looked into her eyes, with his left hand still around her neck.  He smiled at what he saw: fear.  She wouldn't dare lie to him now.  

            "Fine," Billy released her again, "Lead the way." 

            "Thank you." Rebecca breathed as she got off the table.  

"Ah!  Not yet!  I saw you sneak that ammo into your gun.  Give it up," Rebecca quickly reached to get it, "Slowly!"  She followed his orders and he put the clip in his pocket.  She started for the door and tried to stay as far away from him as he would let her, "Don't stray too far from me.  Just remember that I'm the one with the ammo in my gun." Billy reminded as Rebecca picked up her grenade launcher and walked out the door. 

            The hostage hiked up the stairs with Billy aiming his pistol at her back.  She had never been so scared before.  The person that she had been forced to put her trust into was now threatening to kill her and there was no way she could defend herself.  It was too risky to even try.  The last time she had gone against him was on the train after Enrico contacted her.  He could have slit her throat the instant he had her under control, but he didn't.  His continuous actions of protecting her afterwards had made her willingly begin to trust him.  She never thought he would lose it and turn on her.  He had never really threatened her life, but now he was.  Rebecca felt so betrayed.  How could he do this to her?  Why was he doing this?  And what will happen after she opened the clock doors?  

            Her thoughts were interrupted when Billy jabbed her in the back with his gun when they were in front of the giant corpse.  "Climb over." he ordered.  Rebecca tossed the grenade launcher over the downed beast and grabbed the chain that was still around its neck.  She put her feet against the dead flesh for stability.  Her strength was rapidly diminishing.  It felt like she was trying to climb over a mountain.  The "mountain" was only seven feet tall though.  She dared not fall or Billy might get frustrated and hit her again, maybe worse.  She barely made it over the top.  She sat down to catch her breath as Billy started climbing.  

"His strength hasn't started draining yet," Rebecca thought as she looked at the head of the defeated beast she sat upon.  The cuts that Fangora made were deep.  The cop remembered back to the battle that took place not long ago, "She lost control for a while.  She could have killed us both easily if she wanted to." 

"Get down." Billy told his prisoner.  Rebecca obeyed by scooting over the side on her butt so the impact wouldn't be as harsh.  It still was, so she had to roll away.  Billy easily jumped off and landed on his feet.  Rebecca was so weak she had trouble getting to her feet again.  Billy grabbed her upper arm and roughly pulled her back up, "Stop being such a wuss!  You're slowly me down!" 

"Oh, hurry up Fangora!" Rebecca silently pleaded as she grabbed the launcher again and opened the door to the outside.  All of the killer birds that chased Rebecca earlier were in pieces on the cold ground.  The little B.O.W. apparently took them out.  As Rebecca led Billy to the door, she started to feel hot and itchy.  Her adrenaline ran higher when she remembered what the second stage of infection was.  She refrained from scratching at her skin, knowing it would only make it worse.  She was about to tell Billy, but she stopped when he jabbed her again with his gun.  

"Keep moving!" the convict barked.  She did as he said once more and led him through the door to the clock.  

"He sees the clock," the girl thought, "When he eases up to put the needle back, I can hit him and take his gun!  Right!  Everything will be fine!" 

"Put it in." Billy instructed as he put the needle in her hand.  Rebecca paused in frustration that her plan would be harder to pull off.  She turned her back on him and faced the clock.  She stalled as she looked at the needle.  

"This thing is pretty sharp," she pondered, "I could use it as a knife to weaken him then I could-" 

"Don't even think about it!" Billy threatened as he put the barrel of the gun against the back of her neck.  

"Think about what?" Rebecca asked trying to sound innocent, but obviously was startled by the feeling of cold metal on her.  

"I see the way you're looking at that needle!  Try anything and you'll get a bullet in your spinal cord!" 

"Damn it!" Rebecca cursed under her breath, "He's onto me!  There's no way I can take control now!  By the time I get another chance, I'll be too weak!"  Rebecca put the needle into the clock and set it to 8:15.  Her head throbbed as a loud gong erupted from the clock and the large gears started turning.  She dropped her powerful weapon and stumbled against the wall, covering her head as the gong echoed in her brain.  Everything seemed to be burning hot.  Sweat oozed out of her pores as her temperature rose.  There was no way she could fight Billy now with a growing fever.  Billy yanked her up again.  

"Come on.  We've got more work to do." He stated, not noticing how sick she looked.  

"We?" Rebecca questioned, "Why should I go with you?  I am not of any more use to you.  I already opened the doors like you asked!" 

"That you did," he answered with a smirk, "But you have the grenade launcher and I can't carry that and everything else.  Besides, it's not like you'll try to kill me with that.  If you did, you'd just kill yourself too in the process." 

"As you wish." Rebecca answered with as much sarcasm as she could, considering her condition.  

"By the way, don't drop it again," Billy gave her the grenade launcher, "You wouldn't want to set it off, would you?  Lead the way." 

"You know where the clock doors are." 

"True, but I can't have you behind me," Billy explained as they entered the cold night air again, "You might try to attack me and get away." 

"Well, we certainly couldn't have that." 

"Stop the sarcasm, whore, and keep going!" 

Whore?  That name got to her the most.  She tried to hold back another storm of tears as they entered the centipede room again.  She didn't know why that comment hit her so bad.  Maybe it was the straw that broke the camels back.  Why was Billy acting so cruel?  Rebecca knew the answer: fear.  He was just as terrified about inevitably turning into the living dead as she was.  It was amazing what fear could do to someone, physically and mentally.  

She once read about a man who was bitten by a snake.  He saw the pattern and coloration on the scales and heard rattling.  He was sure that he had been envenomated by a rattlesnake.  He had a panic attack and almost died!  It turned out that the snake gave him a dry bite.  The reptile that bit him wasn't even a rattler!  It was a harmless gopher snake whose species have a similar pattern and coloration and a reputation of impersonating rattlers.  The man's fear and paranoia nearly put a halo above his head.  

This concept could put Billy in the right.  He would say that the reason why his hostage was sick was because of her subconscious mind believing that it was infected by a crazy virus.  

However, Billy's sudden attitude change leaned to Rebecca's favor too, along with Fangora and other proof of the virus's existence.  The man who was bitten was affected physically by fear, but Billy was affected mentally.  His fear caused him to deny everything and be physically and verbally abusive towards Rebecca.  That and his mental disability, being a convicted mass murderer.  

"If only Fangora would come back with the anti-virus," Rebecca thought as she wiped sweat from her sickly face and started down the stairs, "Then Billy wouldn't dare lay a finger on me.  Fangora would protect me and Billy is afraid to oppose her." 

"Stop slowing down!" Rebecca's aggressor demanded as he jabbed her in the back with his gun again.  She was so achy and sensitive at this point that she cried out at the exaggerated pain in her spine, causing her to lean forward too much.  She stumbled and collapsed on her side, falling down the rest of the stairs.  Every impact from landing on the small steps quickly brought unusually big and painful bruises on her torso.  She landed on her grenade launcher, knocking half the wind out of her.  Billy rolled his eyes and descended the remainder of the stairs as Rebecca gasped for breath.  He pushed her over on her back with his foot.  She looked like such a helpless damsel-in-distress who would never fight back.  The ex-marine smiled at her hopeless state.  It was taking forever for her to catch her breath.  She was a pretty little thing too.  Billy wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her to her feet again.  She didn't even shiver when he licked the side of her neck.  

"Careful, baby," Billy smirked, "Don't hurt yourself too much.  We still have work to do."  Rebecca still couldn't answer if she wanted to.  She staggered out the door with Billy close behind.  Just next-door was the first clock room.  The ill girl finally caught her breath as she struggled to turn the knob.  She forced a small grin, thankful that her theory of replacing the clock's needle was right.  But then, if she wasn't right, what were the gears doing?  

"Well, in a place like this you never know." Rebecca thought.  The knob twisted 45 degrees and the door creaked open as Rebecca stumbled inside the small room.  It was another conference room with a large oval table and bookcases full of documents that didn't seem to be of any interest.  Books were scattered on part of the desk and on the carpet in front of a fireplace that was the only source of light in the room.  

The police officer tried to scream, but it came out as a weak groan.  Four zombies stumbled towards her.  The light of the flames behind them illuminated their bodies, making them look like demons from the darkest corners of Hell.  Rebecca tried to raise her grenade launcher before they got too close, but she barely had the strength to even hold onto the implement of destruction.  

"Move it!" Billy ordered, "You're in my line of fire!"  With one hand he pushed her into the wall beside the doorframe.  His zombie-like prisoner slid to the floor after impact with the decorated wall.  As Billy opened fire on the abominations, Rebecca's aches and pains grew worse.  Four shots rang out and the quartet of zombies collapsed with a bullet in their heads.  She coughed hard a few times into her hand.  After the girl's horrendous coughing ceased, she started catching her breath when she felt something wet in her palm.  The inside of her mouth tasted sweet.  She looked at her soiled left palm and spied a dark liquid flickering in the light of the flames: blood.  

"What did you hack up there?" Billy's voice inquired, "The Horrendous Loogie of Doom?" Rebecca couldn't answer as she started coughing again and felt bile rise into her throat.  

Billy picked up a second microfilm (Microfilm B) off the mantel of the beautifully crafted marble fireplace and stored it in his pocket.  He saw a paper on the table behind him.  It was a verse of poetry.  He picked it up and read it aloud as the burning sensation in Rebecca's throat got worse.  

" 'The Moon bows to the Earth 

The Earth swears loyalty to the Sun 

And the great Law of the Sun 

Governs all things.  

This itself is the keystone, 

The pointer to glory 

All our hands 

Cannot open the door to the heaven.'  Well, that makes no sense.  Any clue as to what it means, girl?"  Billy winced as he heard the guttural sound of vomiting.  He dropped the paper and turned to see Rebecca on her hands and knees, puking a growing puddle on the carpet.  What scared Billy about it was the amount of blood that was mixed in with the yellow barf.  Billy felt another stroke of nausea and weakness.  The last one only stayed for a moment, but this one lingered for at least a minute.  The young man fell onto his side and cringed as his head throbbed.  Rebecca finally stopped throwing up and lay on the floor next to the large puddle of her stomach contents, acid, and blood.  She gasped for air like a fish out of water.  

When Billy recovered, he saw Rebecca staring back at him.  The last drops of blood and puke mixture dripped from her lips along with the sweat that pored down her face.  Rebecca couldn't say it, but Billy knew what she was thinking, "Please take me back before it's too late."  The ex-marine finally saw the reality.  Everything was true.  He was a fool for denying everything and now Rebecca was paying for his mistakes.  

"Okay," Billy muttered, "Let's go back."  Rebecca was like a vegetable.  She was too weak to move at all, but she still was somehow able to hold onto her grenade launcher.  Billy slung her over his shoulder and carried her out of the room the way he would carry the injured men in his unit out of a battlefield.  He opened the door to the stairwell and began trotting up the stairs.  

"Fangora!" he called out, "Fangora?  You here?  Rebecca's in bad condition!  She needs help now!"  Billy reached the top of the stairs and set her down.  He ran around the corner to where the centipede lay.  Where was Fangora?  She said she knew where the anti-virus was.  Where did she run off to?  Billy climbed on top of the dead monster and was about to jump down when he heard screaming coming from the balcony outside.  A loud screech echoed with it.  What was going on out there?  Dust fell off the wall next to the door to the balcony as something slammed into it.  He recognized the screaming.  It was the screaming that erupted from Fangora's mouth when she lost her mind during the centipede battle.  

"She's totally lost it now," Billy thought, "If she gets in here, we're dead!  But if we run, we'll die from the infection anyways and become more of the lifeless shells!  If we run, we might have a chance to find the anti-virus.  It could be laying around in the other clock room!" Billy turned and jumped off the centipede as the noises from the outside continued.  He slung Rebecca over his shoulder again and ran as fast as he could down the stairs and out the door to the main hall.  

Billy stopped to think for a moment after he closed the door to the stairwell.  He remembered where the second clock room was according to Rebecca.  He continued on and started down the stairs of the main hall.  He winced when Rebecca vomited again.  Luckily it was projectile puke so his pants weren't stunk up anymore than they already were.  

Billy started feeling hot and itchy.  He picked up the speed when he realized he was entering the second stage of infection.  As he came to the bottom of the main hall's stairs, a faint voice sounded behind him.  

"B-Billy?" it was Rebecca, "Where..are we?  Why is it so dark?  I…can't…see..anything." 

"Oh God!  She's gone blind! Fangora failed to mention that along with the bloody vomit." Billy thought.  

"Where..are we?  Why is it so…dark?" Rebecca questioned using the last bits of her strength, "Did the..power go..out?" 

"Best to not scare her anymore than she already is." Billy advised himself.  

"No.  The power's not out.  This is just another dark room." Billy lied.  Rebecca stayed silent after that as they entered the door to the hallway where Rebecca got attacked by the leech monster.  

Fortunately the room was nicely lit from lamps on the ceiling.  Billy cautiously stalked down the corridor, fearful of the nearly invincible leech mass coming out of nowhere.  He turned a corner, his gun raised and ready.  He sighed in relief when nothing came around.  He saw a door, but it wasn't the clock door.  The alert victim walked through it and a terrible stench ran up his nose.  He set Rebecca down on her side and continued around the corner, trying not to breathe in.  There weren't any undead creatures, but the stench came from urinals, sinks, and toilets that hadn't been cleaned in a while.  Billy's vision started getting out of focus again and he felt a fever coming on.  There wasn't anything of use in the disgusting bathroom with some caved-in stalls.  Then he remembered Rebecca had already been in the bathroom and didn't find much except a leech monster and some herbs.  He wiped sweat from this brow, feeling his temperature increase.  He went back to check on Rebecca's condition.  

"Hey Becca," he stated, kneeling next to her limp form, "Can you hear me?  You've gotta stay awake, okay?" No answer from the girl, "Rebecca?" Billy touched her shoulder.  Her body was paling and cooling down quickly, "Rebecca!" he turned her onto her back.  She was unconscious and didn't seem to be breathing.  Billy put his ear up to her mouth and listened for her exhale.  It was there, but faint.  He felt the pulse on her neck.  It was slowing down, "Don't you go dying on me, Chambers!" Billy ordered as he struggled to pick her up again before he left the room.  

As Billy traveled down the remainder of the hallway, his weakness and diminishing strength kicked in.  It was hard for him to distinguish what was a wall and what wasn't.  He stumbled against the wallpaper and nearly dropped Rebecca.  He eventually found the door and opened it.  The small room contained a map of the world against the wall to his right, a screen on the opposite wall, a few long desks with chairs, cluttered books, papers, a clip of handgun ammo and a slide projector on a platform in the middle of the room.  

Billy's vision was almost as bad as the zombies' that caught sight of him.  The undead could only see shadows at a maximum of ten feet away because of their clouded eyes.  The only difference between Billy's sight and the zombies' was that Billy could still see color instead of just shadow.  One curiosity was the question why was Rebecca was completely blind and the once-humans weren't.  Maybe it was the fact that Rebecca made her body work and the already dead probably didn't have much of an opportunity to fight back when they were still human.  Yes, that was probably it, seeing as how Billy's symptoms of sickness were speeding up because he was working the hardest.  

The still-conscious fighter aimed his pistol and pulled the trigger, squinting to see his attackers better.  Six bullets exited the barrel of his gun.  Half missed their targets, but the other three delivered fatal blows.  One bullet killed the closest assailant, via piercing her brain.  The other two defeated the last by boring small holes in his neck.  

Billy dropped to his knees when he felt bile rising to his throat.  Rebecca thumped onto the floor like a rag doll.  The ex-marine started coughing.  A sweet taste entered his mouth and he knew what it was.  The blood spattered from his mouth on the carpet.  More bile was coming into his esophagus and he got on his hands and knees, preparing himself for what was to come.  He vomited longer and harder than Rebecca had.  When he stopped, he didn't even bother to wipe what remained of the stomach acid and blood from the rim on his mouth.  He took the handgun magazine off the desk as he gasped for air.  He slowly clicked it into his empty pistol after he released the dry magazine.  He stumbled to his feet.  He had to keep going.  That's what he had been trained to do for eight years.  He couldn't just sit and wait to change into the undead.  If he was going to die and be one of them, he would go out fighting.  He would keep fighting until he found the anti-virus for himself and Rebecca or until he dropped dead.  

He looked at the projector and got an idea.  He pulled out the two microfilms and put the first one (A) in.  It showed an overhead view of the conference hall behind the "Justice" statue.  Billy put microfilm "B" in the projector and red numbers and letters appeared on top of the desks.  An MO disc and a picture of the conference room with the numbers and letters above the desks came out of the projector.  Billy thought for a minute and came up with a theory: If he put the MO disc in the stand at the front of the conference room, the computer in the stand would probably give him a code that would correspond with the numbers and letters above the desks in the picture.  Then, maybe, he will be able to find the anti-virus and save Rebecca.  

Billy put the two square objects in his pockets before he threw up again.  It took about a minute and a half to catch his breath once more.  When he did, he could barely stand up.  He walked to Rebecca and knelt by her side.  He touched her face.  It was stone cold along with the rest of her body, which was white as a ghost.  Her pulse and breathing were barely there.  

"Hang on, Rebecca," Billy muttered, "We're almost there.  I won't let you die.  Just hold on a little while longer." 

"Fangora, why did you have to turn now?  We really need your help." Billy thought.  He picked Rebecca up once more and stumbled out into the hall.  He walked through as fast as he could which wasn't very quick at all.  He turned the corner and gasped when a leech monster formed in from of him and blocked the door to the main hall.  Before he could react, the thing's arm stretched out and slapped him hard across the face.  Before Billy dropped to the floor and fell unconscious, his last thought was, "I'm sorry I betrayed you, Rebecca."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Ha!  I leave you at a cliffhanger!  Hee hee hee…it was so FUN writing the parts where Billy and Becca fought!  The next chapter shall come soon because I already have it written down in my notebook that I carry around with me all the time, so I just need to finish typing it and stuff.  And I know I got at least one person's hopes up on the ALMOST non-con!  But it didn't turn into one!  So I laugh at the people who wanted a lemon!  BWA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  Oh!  And some theme songs for this chapter would be "One Step Closer" and "With You" by Linkin Park!  The songs are on the album called "Hybrid Theory".  And Linkin Park theme songs for characters!  "Runaway" for Billy, "By Myself" for Rebecca, and "Crawling" for Fangora!  They're all on Hybrid Theory.  Also, do you people recommend any fics for reading?  Now review, my wonderful minions!  Review and you shall receive the magic cookie of goodness!  


	5. Remorse

Hello!  I just wanted to let you guys know that I replaced the 2nd and 3rd chapter by changing some stuff about Fangora.  Her hair is now raven-black and her skin is pale like that of a Japanese person.  Also, her toenails match her fingernails except they don't extend or anything.  Also in the report thingy about Fangora in Ch.3, the scientist also found growth in her gums, scalp, feet, shins, vocal cords, and skin.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 5 

**Remorse **

            Billy saw nothing but darkness as he lay on his back.  He lay there semi-conscious remembering the last thing he saw.  He wondered why he felt no pain.  The leech monster was supposed to be eating him alive.  He and Rebecca were probably dead and in heaven or hell.  They'd have to watch their soulless bodies walk the earth until they were destroyed.  Billy heard a faint voice.  It grew louder by the second.  It was a soprano voice humming a calm but catchy song.  After a few seconds the words sang out.  

            "This is my December

            This is my time of the year 

            This is my December

            This is all so clear. 

            Just wish that I didn't feel like there was something I missed 

            Just wish that I didn't feel like there was something I missed 

            This is my December 

            This is my snow covered home 

This is my December 

This is me alone. 

Just wish that I didn't feel like there was something I missed 

I take back all the things I said to make you feel like that 

Just wish that I didn't feel like there was something I missed 

I take back all the things I said to you. 

And I'd… 

Give it all away 

Just to have somewhere to go to 

Give it all away 

To have someone to come home to." 

The song reminded Billy of himself and his remorse for what he did to Rebecca.  He recognized it.  It was "My December" by Linkin Park.  He finally opened his eyes and found himself staring at a white, elegantly carved ceiling.  His eyes adjusted after a moment and he sat up.  There he saw Fangora sitting next to him on a dresser with her left leg folded over her right.  A big medicine cabinet was behind her.  She was singing away while she etched symbols into a blood puddle on the tile floor with the nail of her big toe on her right foot.  Her jeans were now ragged shorts and her bangs were in braids.  

"Fangora?" Billy grunted not believing she was there.  The BOW stopped singing and looked over at him with a smile.  

"Good morning, sleepy head!" she answered cheerfully, "I was wondering when you'd wake up." 

"Where am I?" Billy questioned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.  

"In an infirmary." Fangora answered.  Billy looked around to see she was right.  He was in one of four single beds, underneath a couple blankets.  There was a desk and bookcases across from him.  In the corner of the room was a green tube full of some chemical.  There were two sinks by the door on the other side of the room.  There was blood all over the floor and the other beds.  

"What happened in here?" 

"Nothing much.  I was just cleaning out some zombies," Fangora answered, smiling, "It was messy as always, but an area of healing should be as sanitary as possible.  They're outside in the hallway now.  Some of the blood was already here when I first came in though." 

"The last thing I saw was that freaky leech thing.  I thought I was toast." 

"You and Rebecca would be playing harps right now if I didn't get to you when I did." 

"Rebecca?  She's ok?  Where is she?" Billy frantically asked.  Fangora motioned with her head.  Billy looked to his left, passed the medicine cabinet, and saw Rebecca asleep in another single bed with the blankets pulled over her stomach.  Her color had returned and her breathing was obviously back to normal by the looks of how much her chest was rising.  

"She almost didn't make it." 

"And it's my fault." Billy mumbled.  

"What?" 

"Why are you here?  I heard you flipping out on the balcony."  

            "Is that why you guys ran away?" 

            "Yeah.  I thought you lost it for good so I took Rebecca and split.  What were you doing out there?" 

            "I was fighting a giant bat when I was coming back with the cure." 

            "Did you kill it?" 

            "No.  If I stopped to finish it off, I wouldn't have found you in time to save you." 

            "Makes sense."  Billy put his head down and used his knees as an armrest.  

            "Did something else happen, Billy?" 

            "Yeah." he sighed.  

            "What?" 

            "I...I betrayed Rebecca." 

            "You did?  Why?" Fangora asked in shock.  

            "After you left the room, I decided that I couldn't trust you because of…well…what you are," Billy explained, "I forced Rebecca to come with me so we could find a way out on our own.  I even denied the T-Virus' existence.  I got scared of what would happen to me and at the same time I was getting frustrated with Rebecca since she believed you."  Billy told the whole story of what happened when Fangora was gone.  She didn't even seem angry as he talked.  She understood his reasons for his actions.  If Billy didn't feel terrible about what he did and didn't try to set things right, Fangora would probably hurt him now.  

            "I see," Fangora commented when he was done, "I hope Becks doesn't flip out on you when she wakes up." 

            "If she does I'll deserve it.  I almost killed her!  So how did you get in here?  How'd you find us?" 

            "After I got away from the bat, I searched frantically for you guys.  I heard gunshots and when I got to the hallway down there, I saw the leech monster feeding on you two.  I killed it and injected you guys with the anti-virus.  You were chewed up pretty good by the time I got there.  It was almost too late for Rebecca.  I found the MO disc and the picture when I searched you pockets.  I figured out what to do and I used the shotgun to hold one of the buttons down.  It made the swords from the knights lift up off the doors they were blocking.  I carried Rebecca and you through the one that was next to the conference room." 

            "You carried BOTH of us?" 

            "Well, carried Rebecca and half dragged you." 

            "Oh thank you so much." Billy said sarcastically.  Fangora giggled before she continued.  

            "Anyways, there was a small hallway that led to here and a double door.  I took you here and I used the herbs in Rebecca's med kit on you two.  I was also able to wash the sewage out of your pants, socks, and shoes with the water from the sinks that still work in here and actually have clean water!" 

            "My pants?" Billy looked under the covers and only saw his black boxer shorts and a pair of hairy legs, "Where the hell are my pants?!"  Fangora laughed so hard she almost fell off the dresser.  After she calmed down, she answered.   

"You're socks, shoes, and pants are drying by the fire in the dark room with all the barf in it." Fangora told him, still laughing from his reaction of the missing pants.  

            "Thank you for doing us all the favor of washing the shit out of my pants.  Ok, that sounded weird!"  The two allies laughed, knowing how one could take Billy's statement and make it infer something childish.  

            "By the way, nice boxers!" Fangora complimented.  

            "Thank you, pants-stealer!" 

            "That sounded wrong!" 

            "Yes it did!"  They laughed again.  

"I put two blue herbs and a first aid spray in Rebecca's pack.  So when she wakes up, you just need to pick up your weapons and her med pack and go!" 

            "And where's our stuff?" Billy asked.   

            "Right here."  Fangora moved her leg and opened the dresser.  Inside were Billy and Rebecca's weapons.  Fangora pulled them out and tossed them on the floor in front of her, "I loaded Rebecca's gun from the extra ammo in your pocket.  And I made a strap for the grenade launcher out of my jeans." The young B.O.W. informed and held it up for a moment to show him.  

            "Thanks.  I was wondering where your pant legs went." 

            "Heh heh," Fangora chuckled, "Oh!  I found this on your bed when I first came in here," Fangora pulled a paper out of the drawer and handed it to Billy, "Check it out."  Billy read it silently.  

"First Investigation Unit Notes 

We are searching the facilities, and it looks like a lot of the chemicals survived.  

Fortunately, the storage tanks are still all full.  We have just started and there is still a lot we don't know, but it appears that the chemicals can be mixed to produce new substances.  The chemicals are scattered all about.  Not because of the accident, more a result of plain mismanagement.  

            When we re-open the facilities, we will have to develop a system for dealing with these chemicals.  

(Scrawled on back of the note) 

Red+Blue=Sulfuric Acid 

Green+Red=Stripping Agent"

"Rebecca might want this." 

"Yeah.  I put some of that green chemical in her kit just in case."  Fangora took the paper back and put it in Rebecca's med pack.  

"You're a miracle worker, Fang."

"I try, I try.  And thanks for the nick name," Fangora commented, "So, do you like Linkin Park?" 

            "Hell yeah!" Billy answered enthusiastically, "I love all their songs.  I noticed you were singing 'My December.'  That's one of my favorites." 

            "Mine too.  'Papercut' is another one of my favorites, but it's all good!" 

            "Yup." Billy said, nodding.  It was silent for a few seconds.  

            "So what's the story with you and Rebecca?  Known each other long?" 

            "No.  I've only known her for about two hours now, I suppose.  I'm 26 and an ex-lieutenant in the Marines." 

            "Ex?" 

            "I was…discharged.  I don't want to talk about it right now." 

            "Discharged for t

he worst reason." Billy thought.  

            "Okay, I won't intrude," Fangora agreed, "What about your friend over there?" She pointed to the sleeping cop.  

            "Rebecca is a medic for S.T.A.R.S.  It's a special tactics force in the Raccoon City Police Department." 

            "I figured that.  Did you scare her and she arrest you or something?" Fangora asked with curiosity in her voice.  Billy played with the metal dangling off his left wrist.  What should he tell her?  She obviously hated people like him.  Seeing what Umbrella did to her, he wasn't surprised.  Knowing how aggressive she could be, Billy thought it best to not tell the whole story, at least not yet.  

            "Uh, yeah.  Something like that.  We got trapped on a zombie-infested train.  We were both scared and alone, so when we ran into each other we agreed to team up and survive.  The train we were on crashed into this building's station and we had to walk through a sewer or something to get to the main hall.  Rebecca had a compound fracture in her leg from the crash so I carried her." Billy concluded.  Fangora nodded as she went back to etching symbols into the floor, "What are you drawing?" 

            "The Triforce and the Six Medallions of the Sages." 

            "Um…" Billy commented hoping it wasn't some freaky cult thing.  

            "It's from 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.' " 

            "Which is?" Billy asked.  Fangora let out an exaggerated gasp.  

            "Only the greatest video game in the world!" 

            "How long ago did you remember that?" 

            "When I got in here." 

            "That's weird." 

            "What is?" 

            "That the first things you're remembering is music and games instead of friends and family." 

            "Yeah.  That's weird and frustrating too." 

            "I can imagine.  You don't even know if you had loved ones before you came here.  But someone like you is bound to have plenty of people liking you." Billy reassured.  Fangora chuckled again.  

            "But what's the point when you can't remember them?" 

            "True..true." Billy concurred.  It was quiet again.  

            "WWWWAZZZZZZZZUUUUUPPPPP!!!" Fangora screamed, making Billy jump and fall out of bed.  The young girl burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.  

            "What was that for?!" Billy asked angrily, "You scared me!  Again!" 

            "I'm sorry," she laughed, "I just had to do that!" 

            "Of all the things that you'd remember, this one I was hoping wouldn't come up." 

            "Aw come on!  In a freaky, dark situation like the one we're in, you have to try to brighten things up a bit!" 

            "True but-" 

            "Say it." 

            "Excuse me?" 

            "Say it!  It feels good!" 

            "Oh please.  Only dorks say it and think it's cool!" Fangora unsheathed the middle claws on her hands.  

            "Don't make me meow like Gary, mister!" the B.O.W. warned while sheathing her weapons.  

            "Gary?  You mean from-" 

            "SPONGEBOB!" 

            "Oh dear God!" Billy put his head in his hands and fell back onto the bed.  He was slowly driven insane when she started singing.  

            "Ohhhh…Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?  SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!" 

            "NOOO!" Billy screamed, "For the love of whatever god you worship, do not sing that song!" 

            "Mua-hahahaha!" Fangora laughed, "I got the song stuck in your head, didn't I?" 

            "Yes!" 

            "You haven't said it yet." 

            "Said what?" Billy asked.  He thought for a second and remembered the awful phrase when he saw the girl's grinning face, "No." 

            "WWAAZZZUUUUPP!" 

            "No!" 

            "Say it with me!" 

            "Uh-uh." 

            "Say it." Fangora growled, unsheathing her claws.  

            "Wazup." 

            "Louder." 

            "Wazup!" 

            "Say it like you mean it!  Scream it, Billy-Boy!" 

            "WWAAZZUUPPP!!" 

            "Alright!  Now you got it!  Say it again!" 

            "WWWAAAZZZZUUP!!" 

            "Say it with me now!" 

            "WWWWWAAAZZZZZZUUUUPPP!!!" they both screamed, throwing their arms up in the air.  Fangora laughed again and clapped as her claws descended back into her fingers.  

            "Hey, that did feel good!" 

            "Without randomness this world would be Squigward!" 

            "Okay.  So you watch 'Spongebob Squarepants.'  Please tell me you don't watch 'Barney!' " 

            "Hell no!" Fangora gagged.  

            "Good girl!" 

            "Well, I'm glad you're ok and I got the munchies so I'll head outside for a while, get a bite, and check in the double door while I'm at it.  Oh!  And I'll pick up your clothes from the barf room!" 

            "Thanks.  You do that.  Have fun satisfying your much-EW!" 

            "What?" Fangora inquired, "Others of my kind do that, so why can't I?  Besides, I technically haven't eaten anything for at least a month!"  Billy laughed.  

            "Yeah I know, but it's a nasty picture in my head since you look like a human still." 

            "That I do." Fangora hopped off the dresser and put weight on her right leg.  She immediately fell on her face with a loud thud.  

            "What the hell?" Billy exclaimed as he got out of the bed.  Fangora rolled onto her back and started laughing.  

            "I sat on my leg too long," she laughed, "And when I got up, it was numb so I lost balance!" 

            "Smart!" 

            "Kick it!" 

            "Huh?" 

            "Kick my leg so I can get the feeling back!" 

            "Okay."  Billy lightly kicked it.  

            "Come on!  You can kick harder than that!"  He obeyed the request.  

            "Okay.  One more should do it," Fangora thought out loud.  Billy kicked hard once more, "Ouchies!  Thank you."  Fangora stood up and walked to the wooden door.  

            "Hey!  Wait a sec!" Billy grabbed her shoulder and she spun around.  

            "What might your question be?" Fangora kindly asked.  

            "Well, I was wondering why you are so kind and protective towards Rebecca and me," Billy started, "I mean, you don't know us.  For someone who has been so badly treated by people, you're quick to trust the first ones you see." 

            "I allied myself with you the same reason that Rebecca did." 

            "You're afraid to die?  You can obviously take care of yourself.  If you wanted to, you could have killed Becks and me and we wouldn't have been able to do anything about it." 

            "No.  It's because she didn't want to be alone in this nightmare," she answered while putting a hand on his shoulder, "And neither do you."  She gave his shoulder a squeeze and smiled before she walked out.  

            Billy just stood there looking at the door and letting her words sink in.  It made sense.  Of course she wouldn't want to be alone here.  Waking up in a test tube all alone, not remembering anything or anyone and trying to survive was scary enough.  But trying to pass through that ordeal on your own with only monsters that are trying to kill you as company, would be enough to drive anyone mad.  Billy and Rebecca saved what was left of her sane mind and she saved their lives.  They needed Fangora's protection and she needed their companionship.  None of the three would survive without each other.  

            Billy sighed and walked to the sink next to the door.  He turned the water on and splashed the cool liquid on his face.  It felt satisfying and relaxing.  His anxiety and confusion faded away as the water dripped from his face.  He opened his mouth under the running faucet and took a few gulps of water before he turned it off and dried his face with his thin shirt.  

            He turned around and looked at Rebecca's unconscious state.  Billy's remorse and guilt consumed him.  He quietly approached her and sat on the edge of her bed.  Rebecca sighed and turned onto her left side.  A long thin scab exposed itself on her right cheek with a small bruise surrounding it.  Billy winced when he remembered how she got the wound.  He remembered the terrible things he said to her, the things he did to her.  What he put her through and forced her to do was a hair away from putting her in the morgue.  He prayed to everything that was good that Rebecca would forgive him.  Why did he want her to forgive his malevolent actions so badly?  So what if she hated him with a passion when she woke up?  She'd still have to cooperate with him.  She held a grudge against him when they first teamed up, so why would it be so terrible to go through it again?  

            Billy reached out and gently ran his fingers over the dried blood.  He quickly drew his hand away when she twitched.  She started tossing and turning back and forth, muttering cries for mercy.  

            "No…s-stop.  Don't come…closer.  Come back…from…undead." she muttered.  She was having a nightmare.  Billy touched her shoulders and she flinched again.  

            "Rebecca?" Billy held her shoulders and shook her lightly, "Rebecca?  Come on.  Wake up.  Wake up." 

            "Stop…leave them…alone.  Don't hurt them.  Stop it.  Stop!  NNOOO!!" Rebecca screamed as she quickly sat up.  Her leap forward was halted by Billy's body.  She just flung herself into his arms.  She woke up and opened her eyes only to let tears fall from them.  

            "Hey.  It's okay.  Calm down.  It was just a dream." Billy's soft voice told her as he held her shoulders.  Rebecca didn't forget what Billy did to her before and who he was, but after a nightmare like the one she had, she didn't care who was there to comfort her.  Just as long as someone was there for her when she woke up into the living nightmare again, she would be okay.  Rebecca's sobs were muffled by Billy's shirt that she gripped so tightly.  

            "It was terrible," Rebecca whimpered, "I was so scared." 

            "What did you dream?" 

            "It was a flashback," she explained trying to stop crying, "On the train when I went back to turn on the brakes." 

            "What happened back there?" 

            "In one of the cars was my comrade, Edward.  The one we saw just before we opened the engine car.  He…he was…eating someone.  He saw me and tried to prey on me too.  He was like a brother to me."  Rebecca cried again.  

            "Why didn't you tell me about this?" 

            "I don't know.  But that was only the beginning.  It got worse." 

            "What else happened?" Billy asked wrapping his arms loosely around her quivering body.  

            "Edward staggered towards me and was about to lunge when the worst part happened." 

            "Which was?" 

            "I suddenly appeared in a shadowy, stony, dungeon-like room that emitted an eerie green glow like in a horror movie.  It felt cold and I could smell the blood and entrails that drenched the walls and floor.  After my eyes adjusted, I could see it clearly.  Also, suspended and chained to the walls were my friends, my family…just…everyone I have ever loved and cared about.  They were all alive and conscious, but obviously beaten.  All of them looked like someone took a baseball bat to them." 

            "What about you?" 

            "I was in a cage…on the floor…in the middle of the room.  Even if there was a way to get out of the cage, there was no way out of the room.  There were no doors or windows.  Somehow we could still breathe even though there weren't any vents.  I don't know where the room's glow was coming from since there weren't any lights.  It was quiet until parts of the floor opened up…and…and…" 

            "What came out?" Billy asked having a feeling she was about to cry.  He was right.  She was shaking in his arms and the sniffling and breathing sounds she made proved her on-coming tears.  

            "Some chimp-sized primates emerged.  They had white fur…dull gray skin…and eyes that were a clouded yellow color with no pupils.  They were obviously infected with the virus," Rebecca struggled to say, "At least a dozen of them came out of the new openings in the floor."  Rebecca tried to speak again, but all that came out of her was a sob and more tears.  

            "Hey, it's alright.  You can tell me." Billy soothed trying to look her in the eye.  He could have just pushed her away a little bit so her head would unglue itself from his body, but he didn't want to let go of her.  He got a weird feeling when he held her.  It was something he never really felt before.  He wasn't sure what it was, but he liked it.  It wasn't like he hadn't exhibited a sign of affection before.  He would laugh if you called him a virgin.  But all the intimate things he did never had any positive feelings behind it.  He had had countless one-night stands.  There was never love during those nights, only lust.  For once he didn't feel this way when he was with a girl.  After about a minute, Rebecca found the strength to finish her tale.  

            "Those apes screeched and flailed around.  It was utter chaos.  They didn't take notice of me.  All their attention was on the people chained to the walls.  They jumped on them…knawing and clawing…slowly skinning and dismembering them one after another!" Rebecca cried as she spoke, "They were tearing them apart!  And there was nothing I could do about it!  All I could do was watch their blood, organs, and flesh fall to the floor and drench the monsters that wanted it!  All I heard was their screams of pain and futile pleas for mercy!  And I couldn't stop it or even look away.  It…it was as if someone was gripping my head and forcing my eyes open, making me watch their miserable deaths!  When the primates were finished with one victim and would move onto the next, the one they just finished torturing would still be alive.  They'd be completely skinned, partly dismembered, and half-gutted from the neck down.  But…but they were still ALIVE!  Staring at me with wide eyes and open mouths, gasping for air.  They looked at me as if it were my fault that they were mutilated the way they were.  As if it were my fault that they were still alive to feel the pain!"  Rebecca broke down again and wrapped her arms tightly around Billy, her only source of comfort, who pulled her into a tighter embrace.  

            "Is that the end?" Billy asked hoping the answer was a yes.  He felt her quickly nod into his chest, "Oh my God, Rebecca.  I'm so sorry you had to go through that.  But it was only a dream." 

            "It was an insight into the future!  I know it was!" she cried out, "The virus and its hosts will eventually migrate away from this place and spread throughout the world!  My nightmare showed me what would happen if the virus got out!" 

            "But we won't let it happen.  We'll keep going.  We'll defeat it."  Billy pushed her back a little bit so he could see her eyes.  As he did, he caught sight of the cut he had made and the small bloodstain on his handcuffs.  He lightly touched the wound again, which startled Rebecca and made her instinctively reach up to the cut.  As she did, she pressed his hand onto her face.  They both paused with Rebecca's hand on his.  She closed her eyes, releasing the last few tears.  

            "Rebecca?" Billy murmured, trying to get her attention, "I'm sorry about what I did back there.  I'm so sorry.  I take back everything that I did and said to you.  I swear I didn't mean any of it.  I don't really understand why I did it.  I don't want to hurt you.  I never did.  I know that sorry isn't going to turn back the clock or make it better, but I don't know what else to do.  I promise it will never happen again.  Will you forgive me?"  Rebecca looked up at Billy.  She could see the emotions behind his eyes: remorse, sorrow, and hope.  He wasn't lying.  

            "Yes," she answered as she hugged him again, "I forgive you."  Billy wrapped his arms around her again and rested his head against hers.  

            "Thank you," he sighed, "I never wanted to be your enemy.  I won't let anything like your nightmare happen.  I'll always protect you.  I promise."  They laid in the comfort of each other's arms, not caring who the other was, but resting in the new bond they formed together.  

            About a minute passed until Billy broke the silence, "You know that room where we found the clock needle?" 

            "What about it?" 

            "Remember when I had a little…problem with that desk?" 

            "Yeah." 

            "I admit that was pretty funny."  They both laughed.  

            "There's one thing I forgot to ask." Rebecca informed as she pulled away with Billy's hand still on her shoulder.  

            "What's that?" 

            "Why are we alive?" they laughed again, "I swear!  We were infected and dying and all the sudden I wake up and my body's like Spongebob going, 'I'm ready!' " 

            "Uh, did you just say Spongebob?" 

            "Yes." 

            "Do I dare ask?" 

            "Yes I watch it if that's what you're wondering." 

            "I'm surrounded by weirdoes!" Billy cried at the ceiling, making Rebecca laugh again, "First Fangora and now you!" 

            "Fangora?" 

            "Yeah." 

            "But didn't she change psychologically?  I faintly remember hearing her screams or something." 

            "Oh, I better explain that." Billy said.  He told her the whole story of what Fangora was doing when they were running around (and what he himself was doing after he came to his senses) and what the conversations between himself and Fangora here.  Half of the story brought laughter to the two.  

            "So that's why your pants vanished!" Rebecca commented.  

            "Yes," Billy chuckled, "Sorry if you thought I was trying to be fresh or something." 

            "No, it's okay.  It was funny though.  I just look down and I see non-panted legs and I'm like, 'What the?' "  They both laughed once more.  

            "Yeah, that must have been weird." 

            "But nice boxers!" 

            "Fangora said the same thing!"  Another laugh erupted and they talked for a while.  They found out hat they both liked pretty much the same things.  The exceptions were Rebecca's love of "Pink" and "Spongebob" and her no-knowledge of "Dr. Demento", "Weird Al Yankovic", "Linkin Park", and Homestar Runner.  Their taste for "Star Wars" and Hip Hop made up for it though.  They jumped when the door slammed open.  

            "Hello all!" Fangora exclaimed cheerfully with Billy's clothes in her hands and a bandolier on her shoulder that could hold twelve grenade rounds.  Half of the slots were full, "The mess is clean and my stomach is full!  Life is good!" 

            "Did it taste good?" Rebecca snickered.  

            "Oh yeah!  When you become a B.O.W., you develop the taste of a cannibal and scavenger!" 

            "Can I have my stuff now?" Billy asked.  

            "Here," Fangora tossed him his still-damp clothes, "And hurry up." 

            "I will." he answered while standing up and slipping on his pants.  

            "Did you find anything?" Rebecca asked while trying while getting up to get a drink of water.  

            "This thing," Fangora answered as she pulled off the bandolier and tossed it to Rebecca, "That's six napalm shells on there already." 

            "Thank you," Rebecca said as she looped it around her neck and right shoulder, "Anything else?"

"Yes!  I found the wing for the black statue thingy!" Fangora pulled it out of her pocket and showed it to Rebecca.  

            "Great!" Billy commented while putting his socks on, "Is that all?" 

            "I found one of the diaries of Dr. Marcus." 

            "Really?  You have it still?" Rebecca asked interested.  

            "Yup." Fangora pulled it out of her back pocket and gave it to the cop.  Rebecca opened it and read aloud.  

" 'December 4th 

            We finally did it…the new virus!  We have called it the "Progenitor". 

            I want to carry it back and start detailed investigations immediately.  

March 23rd 

            Spencer says he's going to start a company.  

            Well, I don't care, as long as I can continue my research into "Progenitor".  He can do what he likes… 

August 19th 

Spencer keeps asking me to be the director of his new Training facility.  

            Maybe it's because of the business, but he's becoming intolerably pushy.  

But maybe I can turn this to my advantage.  I need a special facility to properly explore all this virus' secrets.  A place where no one will get in the way… 

November 30th 

            Damn that Spencer…He came to complain to me again today.  He thinks of "Progenitor" as nothing more than a money-spinning tool.  Fool!  But if his influence continues to grow, it can only be bad for my research.  If I'm to properly develop "Progenitor", I must strengthen my own position too.  

September 19th 

            At last…I've discovered a way to build a new virus type with "Progenitor" as a base.  

            Mixing it with leech DNA was the breakthrough I needed…I call this new virus "t", for "tyrant".  

October 23rd 

            It's no good!  I can't hope for real progress experimenting on mere rodents.  

            Only humans can be a proper mammalian subject for the experiments.  Otherwise, I'll never make any real progress…

November 15th 

Someone seems to suspect something about my experiments…but, perhaps it's just my imagination.  Well, if anyone does get too close they may find themselves unexpectedly "assisting" in my research!  

January 13th 

            At last, they are ready.  My wonderful leeches!  

            Those of low intelligence, they will never have the privilege of tasting this sense of joy and satisfaction!  Now, finally, I can move against Spencer.  Soon I will control everything… 

January 31st 

            The devices I set to protect my work have been disturbed.  

            It appears someone came looking for "t" and the leeches.  Fool.  

            No doubt the work of Spencer's group.   

February 11th 

            Today, I again found evidence of tampering around the entrance to the labs.  If that is what they're after, I must find a suitable way to deal with them.  Perhaps I should have William and Albert smoke out the pests… 

            Those two are the only ones I trust.  Apart from my beloved leeches, of course.  But Spencer…it wouldn't end there, would it?  

            I will announce "t" at the next directors meeting, and collect my just rewards…' " 

"Well, I guess that answers a few questions.  Man, the people here were nut-cases!" Billy commented, giving Rebecca her weapons and med pack, "I wonder if that singing guy back near the train who controlled the leeches was related to Marcus." 

"It's a possibility," Rebecca added while clipping her med pack around her waist, "Seeing the 'relationship' that Marcus had with his creepy little leeches."

"We ready to head out now?" Fangora asked.  

"Yeah, just a sec." Rebecca replied.  She looped the strap of the grenade launcher around her neck and left shoulder and held her pistol in her right hand.   

"Let's go then." Fangora said as she opened the door and walked out.  

"Ok." Billy answered as he started for the doorway.  

"Billy?" Rebecca called.  

"Yeah?  What's up?" Billy asked, turning to her.  

"Thanks for believing finally and most of all, for being there for me.  I really appreciate it." 

"Anytime." he answered with a smile before he followed Fangora.  Rebecca smiled and wondered if she should have told him the missing detail in her nightmare: he and Fangora were chained to the wall amongst the people she loved.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

That's all for now!  The first cute incident!  Yey!  The little Billy/Rebecca thing in this chapter was inspired by a scene in "Sleepy Hollow."  Great movie it was.  And I know Linkin Park and other stuff didn't come out until after 1998, but pretend that it did!  ^_^  And I must apologize again because I really doubt Ch.6 will come any time soon.  Hopefully it will come faster than four months this time!  It's weird because I don't really have writer's block, but my brain decided that I need a break, so I wouldn't be able to write Ch.6 even if I wanted to.  I tried earlier and all I could get out was a midget paragraph.  Well, I hope you liked this and I beg for your forgiveness and patience!  I love you all!  


	6. Voices

Cloud Strife(): You stood up for pbs? OO Pox upon thee! Just kidding! It's okay. I forgive you. Hugs Now enjoy the next chapter! I'm so glad you're liking the stuff I'm doing!

In case you people don't know, here are definitions to some scientific terms:

1. Cephalothorax the fused-together head and body of a spider

2. Abdomen a spider's butt

3. Keratin what fingernails, hair, and generally claws are made out of

4. Pedipalps little arm things next to a spider's fangs

I paid attention during zoology class! Now on to the chapter!

Chapter 6

Voices

Billy, Fangora, and Rebecca walked down the bloodstained hallway. There were splatters and pools of red everywhere, but no bodies.

"Did you eat all of them?" Billy asked in amazement.

"Of course not!" Fangora answered, "I ate a heart or two and shoved the rest into the room in there." She pointed to the double doors to her left side.

"I see," Rebecca commented with a disgusted shiver, "I thought you said the mess was cleaned up!"

"I was referring to the bodies," she replied, "I dragged their remains into the room where I found the black wing."

"Is it just me or are you taller now, Fang?" Billy asked as they entered the conference room.

"Well seeing as how the T-Virus increases the host's size, I wouldn't be surprised." Rebecca answered.

"Either that or you two are getting shorter." Fangora joked with a smile.

"Well, let's see how tall you are now." Billy said as he pushed Rebecca and Fangora back-to-back.

"What's the verdict?" Rebecca asked.

"Well, she's as tall as you now, but you have shoes on which gives you an extra inch."

"And I'm 5'6"." Rebecca told him.

"So I'm 5'7"!" Fangora finished with an excited jump, "I'm bigger than Mommy! Right, Daddy?"

"Excuse me?" Rebecca reacted with a raised eyebrow at the thought of her and Billy having a child together.

"Our daughter's right, darling!" Billy said in a cheesy British accent while putting an arm around Rebecca's shoulders.

"What!" Rebecca exclaimed, pulling out of Billy's grasp.

"She DOES look like our offspring."

"Huh!" Rebecca still couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Seriously! Look!" Billy stood next to Fangora, "She's got a mix of our eyes, your gender, my hair (sort of), and my build (ish)!" Rebecca stood in silence and tilted her head to the side as she examined Fang for herself.

"Whoa! She does look like us!" Rebecca admitted, "And you know what's even freakier, Billy? You look like that singing guy next to the train!"

"Holy crap! You're right!" Billy exclaimed after he thought about the mystery man's face.

"And you know what's also weird?" Rebecca added, "You also look like one of my teammates: Forest!" Her smile faded when she remembered they were separated. She was so worried about the rest of Bravo Team. They were out in the open, fighting for their lives against the monsters that had so easily killed Edward. If they were separated from each other, they wouldn't stand chance. They knew nothing about Umbrella's secrets and they were so far away from the Training Facility.

"Enrico, Richard, Forest, Kenneth-they are strong and smart. They're probably sticking together like they should," Rebecca thought, "But what about Kevin?"

"Oh God! We left him in the helicopter! I hope he's all right!" Rebecca thought out loud.

"Who?" Billy questioned.

"Oh," Rebecca realized she said it out loud, "The pilot of the helicopter I was in stayed behind with the crashed chopper when the rest of my team, including me, set out to investigate the forest."

"Crashed chopper?" Fangora asked.

"How?" Billy wondered, "Was anyone hurt?"

"Nobody knows how, but we had an engine failure and had to do an emergency landing in an opening in the trees," Rebecca explained, "Everyone was okay when we crashed though."

"And what about this pilot of yours?" Fangora inquired.

"He stayed in the chopper for some reason," Rebecca answered, "I don't know why. I guess he wanted to stay behind and see if he could fix it. But he doesn't know about what's going on! He's so vulnerable out in the open like that! What if he-"

"Rebecca," Billy cut her off, "Don't worry about him. I'm sure he's in the helicopter, safe and sound."

"Don't patronize me! Even if he is, those leeches and dogs can still get to him! You saw how easily they broke into the train! Getting in the helicopter would only be easier!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Calm down, Becks!" Fangora advised, "You're probably right, but panicking about it will only makes things worse. If you're really worried about him, try contacting him on the radio." Rebecca nodded. Fangora was right. Rebecca already knew the logic, but somehow forgot just then. She suddenly felt like such a fool for not thinking of warning Kevin sooner. She hoped Enrico or somebody warned him a long time ago. She picked up the radio and pressed the button down.

"Please work. Please be okay, Kevin." Rebecca prayed in her head.

"H-hello?" Rebecca said into the radio, "Hello? Can anyone hear me?" She waited for a reply, but nothing came, "Kevin? Richard? This is Rebecca. Anybody there?"

"They could be out of range." Fangora suggested.

"Or maybe their radios are broken and can't respond." Billy added. Rebecca nodded before she spoke into the radio again.

"If anyone can hear me, please warn Kevin about the dangerous specimens in the area! Tell him to lock himself in the helicopter and hide! I repeat! Tell Kevin to hide in the chopper and try to make contact with RPD headquarters!" Rebecca put her radio away with a worried sigh. What was she going to do?

"I don't know how to get back to the helicopter or RPD headquarters even if I could," Rebecca thought while covering her face with her free hand, "And I can't even contact my comrades to warn and check on them! What am I supposed to do?"

"Listen Becca, the only thing you can do is pray for their safety and move on." Fangora answered as if she had read Rebecca's thoughts.

"I'm with Fang." Billy concurred while putting a hand on the cop's shoulder, "You can't linger on something you can't change."

"Sure thing, hypocrite." Billy's conscience told him.

"Just keep going with us and keep your friends in your prayers," Billy continued, ignoring the voice in his head, "You do believe in God, right?"

"Yeah. I'm protestant." Rebecca answered with a nod as she started walking again.

"I thought so," Billy commented, "You seem like the type who would believe."

"And you don't?" Rebecca asked as they entered the main hall.

"Never have."

"If God existed, he never would have let that incident happen," Billy thought, "If he exists, he's never given me a reason to worship him," He had never believed in anything at all. With the experiences he's had throughout his lifetime, he never gave a second thought about his atheism, especially after what happened a year before. Billy had tried so hard to erase the painful memory from his mind, but he never prevailed, "Why can't I stop thinking about it?" Billy shook the memory from his thoughts and regained his focus on the present situation.

"What about you, Fang?" Rebecca inquired as she pulled the bat wing out of her med pack, "Do you remember if you believe in anything?"

"I know I believe in something," Fangora answered while hopping up on the railing in front of the justice statue, "I can't remember what though."

"I'm sure you'll remember soon." Billy assured. Fangora stiffened when she heard something.

"Let me go!" the echo cried out. It sounded so faint and distant, like something in a dream.

"Did you hear that?" Fangora asked her comrades.

"Hear what?" Rebecca answered.

"That voice."

"I didn't hear anything." Billy told her.

"Sister." a different voice breathed. It was a man's voice that came from below Fang. She looked down onto the landing, but saw no one. She did a front flip pike with a twist off the railing and landed on her feet facing the huge portrait of Dr. Marcus. She kept hearing voices from behind it. They were a little louder than before, but they were still dream-like echoes that only she could hear. She couldn't understand what the voices were saying. They all said or screamed different things at once. Fangora feared for a moment that she was going crazy. All the while, she couldn't hear Billy and Rebecca talking to and about her.

Billy and Rebecca looked over the railing and watched Fangora. She was acting so strange all of a sudden. Was she losing it again? Did she hear something down there? Her senses were enhanced so much it wouldn't be surprising if she could hear what Rebecca and Billy couldn't. But what was the voice she said she heard? Was it actually there? Was it coming from behind the picture? Were there prisoners deep underground? These thoughts silently passed through Billy and Rebecca's minds as they watched their comrade stand like a statue, staring into the picture.

"She has acted like this before," Rebecca whispered to Billy, "Remember when she sensed the zombie around the corner?"

"And the centipede too," Billy whispered back, "I wonder what it is this time."

"Well, I bet that when we even the scales, we'll find out." Rebecca turned around to put the wing on the black statue.

"Fangora," Billy called, "Are the voices still there?" Fangora didn't look up, "Fang?"

Fangora got a strangle feeling from the painting that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was as if it was trying to tell her something. She slowly reached out with her right hand to touch the painting. The sound of the voices became clearer. They sounded so familiar. Whose voices were they? Suddenly there were only three voices: two males and one female. One of the male voices was speaking Japanese, the other: English, and the female voice was speaking French. She couldn't understand the foreign languages but she had a feeling that she should. Fangora's fingertips were just inches from the portrait when she stopped and started to pull her hand back.

"Sister," the English-speaking voice said. It was the voice that made her drop on to the landing, "Beloved sister. You must remember. Please. Don't forget." Fangora started to get frustrated. Whose voice was that? Did she have a brother? Was the voice talking to her? Was it a memory of something someone said to his sister that Fang overheard? Was it the voice of someone being held captive in a secret prison behind the painting? Or was it a mystical connection between the world of the living and the dead? Fangora's eyes widened when she suddenly understood what the other voices were saying.

"Remember," the French voice pleaded, "Remember who you are. Remember us."

"Don't forget what we've taught you," the Japanese voice prayed, "Remember that we love you." Fangora felt a little excited that she knew, or better said, remembered how to speak Japanese and French along with English.

"Remember," all three voices said. Fangora reached out to the painting. She somehow felt like she had to, "Unlock your memories!" Fangora placed her palm over the painting and closed her eyes as a memory flashed back into her mind.

"Tranquilize her already!" a woman's voice ordered. Fangora winced as she saw herself get thrown against the portrait. She was battling against guards with tazer rods and scientists with needles full of tranquilizers. She was trying to get away from them. She didn't have her claws or anything, but she still put up a tremendous fight. She fought the same way she did when she went up against the horde of zombies in the dining room, except she wasn't as strong or quick in her attacks.

Obviously this memory took place before she was turned into a bio-weapon. She had a sense of pride and happiness in the back of her head. She felt happiness because she was remembering something about herself and pride because of what she was able to do without the strengths that the T-Virus gave her. A part of her wondered who taught her such advanced martial arts.

The sounds from her memory echoed in her head: the sound of her fists and feet hitting the guards, the crackling of the tazers, the snapping of a couple of the guard's necks, and her instinctual screams of fury. One of the guards shocked her in the kneecap with their tazer when she was in the air. Fangora screamed in pain and anger as she fell to the floor, gripping her burning leg. She tried to get back up, but the pain was too great. Her incapacitated leg kept her from rising again. Fang was frustrated with herself for letting her guard down. She struggled to get up and fight back with use of only one leg, but there were too many enemies. Fang knew this, but she refused to surrender.

A guard shocked her in the stomach, making her fall on her hands and knees. Then another sent electricity though her spine as a scientist approached with a needle. The shocks from the tazers made her vision blur and she started to lose consciousness.

"Leave her alone, you bastards!" a familiar voice cried out. It wasn't one of the voices in her head. Off to the side, someone else was trying to fight off some guards too. He was a blur, so she couldn't make out his face or who he was. All she could tell was that he was black. Was he an adopted family member? A friend? A lover? Or was he just another prisoner like Fang? Whoever he was, he wasn't trained in fighting.

The incapacitated Fangora of the past watched the man get shocked again and again. The present Fangora watched the rage build in her past self. She somehow found the strength to steal the sedative away from the scientist and inject him with it. She struggled to get to the man as he was dragged up the stairs to the centipede room. Some guards grabbed her and picked her up. She was shocked again and again as the portrait of Dr. Marcus, which seemed to have the power to haunt anyone, slid down into the floor. It revealed a long stone stairway leading underground. A scientist injected Fangora in the neck with the sedative and she fell unconscious.

The B.O.W. opened her eyes to see her claws out. Her right hand was still pressed against the painting and unmoving. The claws were tearing the portrait of Dr. Marcus as it descended into the floor. She was breathing fast and gritting her fangs. She looked at her claws and shook her head from the memory. It was like a dream. It lasted a few minutes when in reality she only had the flashback for the few seconds it took for Rebecca to attach the black wing to the statue and even the scales, which made the portrait open the way to whatever was underground. She looked down the all-too-familiar stairs, wondering if she really wanted to remember what happened next.

Billy and Rebecca came up behind Fangora.

"Nice work, Rebecca." Billy complimented, looking down the stairway.

"Teamwork put the pieces together." Rebecca told him. The two humans looked at Fangora's claws.

"Is everything okay, Fang?" Billy asked. He put a hand on her shoulder that snapped her back to reality. She faced Billy quickly with a shocked look still in her eyes.

"I'm…not sure," Fangora answered, "I know this place."

"What? You mean you've been down there before?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes. I've seen the painting open before."

"When?" Billy asked.

"When I was still human." Fangora answered as she descended the stairs at a steady and cautious pace.

"What was happening to you back there?" Rebecca inquired as she and Billy started down the stairs after her, "Did you remember something? Was the voice you heard part of your memory?"

"Yes, but there was more than one voice. There were many different voices all speaking at once at one point, but there were three that talked to me a lot."

"Do you know whose voices they were?" Billy asked.

"I'm not exactly sure. One of them said, 'Don't forget what we've taught you. Remember that we love you.' "

"Sounds like family to me." Billy commented.

"As if you've ever heard THAT from a relative before." Billy's conscience popped in again. Billy just ignored it. He didn't want to remember.

"One of the male voices spoke Japanese and the other spoke English. The girl voice spoke French. I understood what they all said too."

"So you're trilingual, huh? That's pretty cool." Rebecca commented.

"The English voice I think was my older brother." Fangora said.

"Really? You have an older brother that you remember?" Rebecca asked.

"Not really. I don't remember him, but the voice kept saying, 'Sister.' "

"Did you have a visual of the memory?" Rebecca continued her interrogation.

"Yeah. I saw myself before I became a monster," Fangora explained, "there were scientists and guards fighting against me as I tried to escape. Somebody must have taught me highly advanced martial arts, seeing how I was fighting."

"So even without the strengths the virus gave you, you could do all the moves you did in the dining room?" Billy asked, amazed.

"Pretty much, yeah." Fangora answered.

"Cool," Rebecca commented, "Did anything else happen? Did you recognize anybody there?"

"Not really, but there was someone else who was trying to get away. I couldn't make out his face, but he was trying to get away from the guards too."

"I bet he didn't put up as much as a fight as you did." Billy commented.

"No, but whoever he was, he was very concerned for me. And I for him."

"You may not have known him, but you seem like the type who would protect any innocent person, no matter what the cost." Rebecca chimed in.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Did anything else happen?" the cop asked.

"One of the scientists injected me with a sedative and took me down here as they dragged him to the centipede room." Fangora finished as they reached the end of the stairs and turned left through a hallway. The cement hallway was very dirty and came complete with a musty smell. The remaining working lights on the ceiling flickered, making the heroes wonder how they were still on. The left wall had a rusty pipeline along the bottom edge and there were broken power-boxes on some of the walls. Rusty pipes traveled the ceiling along with metal screening, as if the ceiling was a catwalk.

"I wonder what happened to him." Billy pondered. That comment brought another thought into their heads: Was the unknown man now a terrible B.O.W. that they hadn't encountered yet? Or was he like Fangora and still possesses a human mind? Was he a zombie that they already killed? Or a prisoner who was still alive in the hellhole they were all trapped in? They hoped against hope that he was still alive and well.

Their troubled thoughts changed to those of fear when they saw a long, thin, furry leg creep out from around the corner of the drafty hallway.

"That had better not be what I think it is," Billy thought out loud. A loud hiss rang out when the creature heard Billy's voice. It's body shot around the corner, revealing seven more legs, four pairs of big black eyes, and two, sharp, ten-inch fangs, "Where's a can of raid when you need it?"

"I'll take this one. Don't waste your ammo." Fangora announced.

The giant tarantula charged the three heroes. The monster was six feet long. The young B.O.W. waited until it was close enough and jumped over it. As she did, the tarantula focused on Billy and Rebecca. It rose up on its hind legs, exposing it venom-filled fangs. Billy quickly backed up against the wall with Rebecca behind him. Gaining some control of the intense fear that rushed through his veins, Billy raised his pistol as the tarantula was getting ready to strike. He was about to pull the trigger when the monster shrieked and fell limply to the floor. Its abdomen (the weakest part of all spiders) was slashed open with yellow guts leaking everywhere. Fangora's unsheathed claws on her right hand were drenched in the arachnid's insides. She licked them off her hand and sheathed her unique weapons.

"Next time you do something like that, jump sooner!" Billy advised.

"Yeah. That thing came a little too close for comfort." Rebecca chimed in.

"I already had arachnophobia and now I _really_ hate spiders!" Billy exclaimed. The two girls stared at him blankly before they started to giggle. Billy suddenly went red when he realized that he just told one of his secrets, "Aw crap."

"You have arachnophobia!" Rebecca laughed.

"Hey! Shut up! Let's see _you_ not be afraid of spiders when a black widow bites and almost kills you when you're three!"

"Note taken," Rebecca said, "After getting attacked by those things, it would be hard for anyone not to have arachnophobia now."

"Yeah. Hey, sorry I didn't sense the tarantula like I did the centipede in the first place," Fangora said with remorse written in her voice, "My senses were screaming at me, but I wasn't listening to them. I was too preoccupied with the voices and my memory."

"It's okay. We still trust you." Rebecca assured.

"Good," Fangora said with relief in her voice, "Because if we can't trust each other, the harder it will be to work with one another and survive."

Survival. That was one of the reasons why Rebecca found herself growing trust in Billy in the first place. At first she had no choice. It was either that or get devoured by a zombie and become a member of the living dead because she was alone and scared. Personally, she would rather die by getting shot in the head by a convict! But now Billy wasn't a threat to her anymore and she found herself starting to enjoy his company instead of just using him as a shield. He had a way of being able to make her laugh even when times were the worst. When Rebecca's situation seemed to be the darkest, Billy always jumped in with something silly to make things seem a little lighter. And of course, Rebecca couldn't forget how he was there for her when she woke up from the worst nightmare she could imagine. She was trapped inside a nightmare and Billy was there for her. She wouldn't know what to do and how to cope if she was all alone. She would have died hours ago if it weren't for him.

She was also thankful for Fangora. Rebecca knew that for one reason or another they would have to part in the end. Even still, she couldn't help but start to get attached to her. She was silly like Billy and strong enough to defend her against any enemy. Rebecca knew she should try not to get so attached to her because she knew if she did, it would only bring heartache.

She felt the same thing about Billy. Part of her kept saying she shouldn't get attached to him because he was a murderer and was sentenced to death. Rebecca never really agreed with the death sentence, but she was a cop now and she had to do her job. However, now she started thinking if she really wanted to arrest him or even should. She started doubting that he killed 23 people.

"Maybe he was wrongly accused," Rebecca thought, "I mean, the justice system isn't perfect and it wouldn't be the first time an innocent man was convicted."

Why did Billy team up with Rebecca? Well, he doubted he should at first since she was a cop. But after a quick assessment of the situation on the train, he decided it would be wise to risk cooperation. Besides, if she turned on him, she would be very easy to handle. She was young and seemed inexperienced and unsure of her capabilities. If he killed her, it would only make matters with courts and juries worse, especially since she was a police officer.

He was starting to like Rebecca and Fangora now and didn't even want to think of what would happen in the future. He just wanted to focus on the present to ensure their survival, or more importantly, Rebecca's survival. He didn't worry about Fangora very much. She could take care of herself.

He never really cared whether he lived or died. He never had a life to leave behind. He never had anything to live for. That's why he joined the military when he turned 18. He couldn't see what else he could do. He thought becoming a marine would make him do something meaningful and noble. He thought it would help to fill his empty and seemingly pointless life- that and his famous one-night stands. Deep inside he only used his one-night stands in an attempt to fill a hole in his heart that had existed for as long as he could remember. The hole made him cold, lonely, and angry. He preferred not to think about what made him so cold in the first place. It was what made him consider suicide many times as a young teen. But then he decided he'd rather die by something other than his own hand. And now in the hell he found himself in, all his enemies offered a worse death than suicide. There were two reasons why he wanted to survive now: So he could die a better death and so he could protect Rebecca. Sure, Fangora was more useful, but he served well as a backup.

The only thing that kept Fangora from turning her weapons upon herself was the desire to protect her only friends: Billy and Rebecca. Before she would die, she hoped her memories would return and her two comrades would be safe. She would refuse to give in to her inevitable demise until then. Right now though, she could only ponder about and fear her memory. She was much more focused now after she nearly got Billy and Rebecca killed only moments earlier, but she still couldn't help but wonder about the voices and the man who tried to protect her.

Before the hallway turned to the right, the three saw the beginning of a gargantuan spider web and a masked glow of light from the ceiling. The smell of rotted flesh entered their noses and made them gag. They stayed against the right wall and slowly moved onward. Everyone, especially Billy, hoped there weren't any baby spiders to deal with. Leeches were bad enough and they all hoped they wouldn't run into them or their human-shaped forms anymore. Fangora's senses told her there were more tarantulas around the corner. She could smell them and hear their faint movements in the spider web ahead. They weren't on the floor and seemed to be lying in wait for them. They must have learned from their comrade's fatal mistake when it charged at them. Fangora stopped a few feet from the turn and mouthed a warning to her friends of the suspected ambush. Rebecca nodded in understanding and raised her pistol in ready.

"Wait a second." Billy whispered. He put his pistol away and pulled out his shotgun. He cocked it and nodded. Rebecca and Fangora smirked and suppressed a chuckle, knowing his arachnophobia made him desire the security of a more powerful weapon. Fangora slowly unsheathed her claws and put her hands at the ready like a gunfighter ready to draw. She got on her toes and inched closer to the corner, ready to attack at any given moment.

She was about to turn through the hallway when she stopped at the puzzling sound of human footfalls. They were coming from the hallway ahead, which made no sense. She glanced at her allies to see if the echoes of the drafty hall were throwing off the calculations of her instincts. Behind her she saw that Billy and Rebecca weren't moving, and couldn't be the sources of the sound. Fangora was puzzled. If they weren't moving, who was? The two humans were confused as well because of Fang's stalling.

"What's wrong?" Rebecca whispered to her leader.

"Do you hear that?" Fang whispered back.

"Hear what?" Billy quietly asked, hoping not to stir any more spontaneous spiders.

"Human footsteps. They sound like boots. They're coming from the hall." Fangora explained, pointing around with her thumb. Billy and Rebecca listened, not expecting to hear anything. They didn't and informed Fang. Why would she be hearing footsteps? How could there be any living human calmly walking through the nest? Perhaps she was hearing something passed the web or back in the main hall? If that was the case, maybe it was members of Rebecca's team. The young cop prayed for this in the back of her head. That thought did pass through Billy's head and he hoped it wouldn't be true for his sake. He wondered what would happen between Rebecca and him if they did come. Would she turn him over and be hateful toward him? Was her cooperation just a fake? Billy forced himself to stop thinking about it and focus on the current situation.

"Something's not right. Be cautious." Said a voice in Fangora's head. It was the voice that made the girl reveal her claws in the first place. Fangora nodded to herself and focused again.

The B.O.W. suddenly heard yelling and conflict going on in the hallway. She quickly turned the corner only to see an empty hall. There were no spiders or webbing or even that terrible smell. The hall looked well managed and the lights were fully operational. About halfway through the hallway there was a metal door on the right wall. The conflict was coming from around a second turn. Fang heard a few necks snap, punches, and some screams. A Japanese man ran around the corner. His long, raven black hair was pulled back in a ponytail and his dark eyes fixed ahead in Fangora's direction. He was only an inch taller than Fang, but very good-looking and fit for someone who was in their mid-life. He was holding onto the hand of a woman around his age as he started to run down the hallway. She was 5'4" and had curly, blond, shoulder-length hair and dark blue eyes. The two escapees didn't get very far until the man was shot in the back with a tranquilizer dart. He fell to the ground and the woman tried to pull him back up and run. It wouldn't work out even though the guards were injured and slow from the fight the man put up.

"Naoto!" she screamed, giving up trying to run and pointlessly attempting to wake up her partner. She wasn't really what you'd call thin and pretty, but judging from a gold band on the ring finger of the two escapees, something about her made him choose her for a wife. Fangora could see in the woman's eyes that she was afraid of what would happen if she stayed behind to her fate, but the ring on her finger symbolized why she refused to leave.

"I have to help them! I won't let them suffer the same fate as me!" Fangora thought. She ran down the hall trying to get to the prisoners before the guards did. She seemed to move so slowly. She felt like it was difficult to move because of some type of resistance around her ankles. When she looked down she saw nothing to hold her back.

"Turn back! Don't go into the hallway!" the voice in her head kept screaming. Fang only ignored the voice. She had to help the couple. It was not only a desire to protect the innocent that drove her forward, but she felt some connection to these particular people. And the woman's voice sounded so familiar. Where had she heard it?

"No! Stop! Let them go!" Fangora cried out as she saw one of the weakened guards shoot the woman with a tranquilizer dart. They slung the incapacitated Naoto and his wife over their shoulders and walked back to where they came from, "Leave them alone!" They completely ignored her.

"These people were almost as much of a pain as that girl we brought in a few days ago!" one of the guards said. Fangora was getting so frustrated. The guards and the prisoners looked right at her. Didn't they see her? Couldn't they hear her? And she was still struggling to get to them. What was going on? Why was it so hard to move? She tripped on something and fell on her hands and knees. Every part of her body that was touching the floor seemed to get stuck.

"Something's not right here. What's happening to me?" Fangora thought, starting to panic. The guards disappeared around the corner again with the unconscious people.

"Billy! Rebecca!" the B.O.W. called, "Get over here! Some people are being taken hostage! I need your help!" No answer came, "Guys?" There was still no answer. Fangora looked behind her and didn't see her friends. Where were they? Didn't they hear the fight, her cry for help? Were they listening? Maybe they were too scared or something and were still hiding around the corner behind her.

"Screw it! I'll just have to do this myself!" Fangora thought as she struggled to get up again.

"Go back NOW! DON'T FOLLOW THEM!" the voice in her head pleaded again.

"I can't!" she argued back in her head, "I have to help them! I won't let them become what I am!" She pulled herself from the floor to her feet and traveled further on. She turned the corner and saw the remaining guards walk passed some dead guards and opened a wooden, old age-looking door with a rounded top. As they walked inside, the heads of the attempted escapees looked up at her.

"Remember us!" they both cried out to her. The man said it in Japanese and the woman in French. The guards didn't seem to hear them. Fangora's eyes went wide and she stopped halfway down the newly found hall when she recognized the voices. They were the ones talking to her before when she had the memory. Were they her parents? She could see some resemblances, so they must be. Were they dead? Was that why she heard their voices? Fangora really started suspecting so.

"In that case, this isn't real!" Fangora thought with shock and fear, "That means I just walked into the nest!" Her surroundings started changing back to what they were before. Everything was covered in spider webs and the door was barely visible because of it. The webbing was built and bunched up around the edges and corners, making the hallway look like a tube. She turned around and saw Billy who looked at her like she was crazy.

"What's wrong with you? What do you think you're doing? Are you out of your mind!" Billy rambled in a panic. Fangora was still in shock of the illusion and now seeing the real world made her almost in a trance. Her instincts were going wild with warnings and the voice in her head told her to move, but she couldn't. She didn't make a sound as another tarantula dropped on top of her from the ceiling. She heard Billy scream in terror and worry and call out to Rebecca. The huge arachnid pinned her to the floor, holding her wrists and shins down with four of its legs. Its eyes shifted around wondering where to start feeding on her helpless body. Her neck looked delicious enough to it. It would have smiled if it could as its fangs twitched before moving in for the kill.

For once, Fang is in trouble! This was a fun and long chapter and I would like to thank my dad for helping me out on the illusion thingy and for proofing (Which was also done by Kate.) Thank you all! Will Fangora snap out of it? Will Billy run around and scream like a girl? Will things be perky and random again? Will Fang remember stuff? Turn in next week for Chapter 7: Connecting Blood! And while you're waiting, go to Bye for now!


	7. Connecting Blood

Hello again my minions! I forgot to apologize about taking forever with Ch.6. The whole spider thing took forever to figure out since I didn't plan on making that illusion. Besides writer's block, the reason why this took a long while was because Ch.6 and 7 were originally all Ch.6, but since so much happened and it was longer than Ch.1 (which was over 20 pages) I decided to break it into two. With that said, enjoy:D

Chapter 7

**Connecting Blood **

Back when Fangora turned around the corner to face the spider nest, Billy and Rebecca expected to see her shred another tarantula for them. However, she just stood there, staring into it with a look of confusion on her face.

"Is everything okay, Fang? What do you see?" Rebecca asked. She didn't answer or move. Fangora after a moment or two looked very angry. What did she see? What was making her so mad? Rebecca peeked around the corner to see what Fangora was looking at. Billy would have too, but he was too paranoid about another tarantula attacking him. Rebecca saw nothing, but darkness and danger. Fangora suddenly started running down the hall. Well, at least she tried to run. The webbing on the floor stuck to her feet and caught around her ankles as she ran.

"No! Stop! Let them go! " Fangora blurted out.

"Fangora! Stop! What are you doing!" Rebecca cried out.

"What the hell is going on?" Billy asked as he and Rebecca stepped around the corner to where Fangora stood only moments earlier. They backed up against the wall behind them, not wanting to risk being attacked.

"Leave them alone!" Fangora was almost to the turn when she tripped up from the amount of webbing on her feet. She fell on her hands and knees and tried to get up. What was she talking about? Did she see something with her enhanced eyes? Did she hear something in the other rooms? That was unlikely with the things she said. What was going on with her? What was she seeing? The two humans didn't want to go in the nest for fear of being attacked, but they didn't want Fangora to get hurt.

"Fangora! Get up! Turn back!" Rebecca yelled, hoping Fang would listen and she wouldn't have to go in after the B.O.W. Was she even listening? Couldn't she hear them?

"Billy! Rebecca! Get over here! Some people are being taken hostage! I need your help!" Fangora ordered.

"There's nothing there! Get back here! Whatever you're seeing, IT'S NOT REAL!" Billy screamed trying to snap her out of whatever trance she was in.

"Guys?" Fangora called. She looked behind her and stared straight at Billy and Rebecca. She looked at them as if they were transparent and saw only the wall behind them.

"Come back!" Billy ordered, "Don't you see us! We're right here!" Fangora looked forward again as if they didn't exist and tried to get up again. She struggled for a moment, but she was finally able to get up and move again.

"NO!" Billy cried out in fear for Fang's life. What was he going to do? She'd get killed for sure. She couldn't hear or see them. He wasn't going to like it, but he had to go in himself and drag Fang back to safety.

"Maybe Rebecca can go in. No! I can't send her into the lion's den! She has a lot to live for and I don't!" Billy thought, "Besides, I have to confront my fears sometime. It's the only way to beat them."

"Rebecca," Billy said with a gulp, "Cover me. I'm going in after her. Stay here!"

"Okay." Rebecca nodded.

"I can't believe I'm about to do this. Why me? Why me?" Billy whined in his head as he entered the nest. He trotted as quickly and lightly as he could without getting caught and falling like Fang. He tried not thinking about spiders, but just focused on saving Fangora. Billy could hardly see from the lack of light and went as fast as he could given the sticky danger grabbing at his feet. He just wished he could've moved faster and see what was around him. Then again, he didn't want to see another spider try to kill him. He just wanted to get out of the nest, not caring if the spiders were still alive and well.

"Fang, wait!" Billy pleaded as he watched her turn the corner. Billy caught sight of the cause of the bad smell: shriveled bodies wrapped in the webbing on the walls and ceiling. Billy gasped, "Holy crap! Shit, shit, shit!" Billy was completely terrified now. All he could think of was what would happen if a spider got to him.

"At least the corpses won't wake up," Billy thought, "They've been sucked dry and damaged their brain badly in the process, rendering them very, very dead. Oh damn it! I'm gonna die! I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm gonna kill you, Fang!" He was putting himself in so much danger and fear all because Fangora kept running deeper into the nest. He felt like strangling the girl for this. He saw a metal door through the spider's webbing on the right wall and was tempted to try and run through it. Any chance he saw to get away from the nest was tempting to take, but he knew he couldn't run away from it.

"Don't go any further!" Billy pleaded as he turned the corner and stopped to see Fangora. She was halfway down the hall that was revealed. She seemed to have stopped in utter shock. She slowly turned to look at Billy with a confused and scared expression on her face.

"What's wrong with you? What do you think you're doing? Are you out of your mind!" the ex-marine rambled in a panic. Did she actually hear him this time? Was she seeing _him_ instead of an illusion now? Billy was about to step forward and grab Fangora's hand when a tarantula dropped on top of her from the ceiling and pinned her to the floor. Billy screamed in utter horror and quickly hid around the corner again. He felt like shooting himself. If it weren't for his arachnophobia, he would have been able to think straight and take care of the horrendous creature himself.

"Billy! What happened?" Rebecca called from down the hallway.

"Fangora's in trouble! Come on! I need you here!" Billy's voice cracked. By the fearful sound of his voice, Rebecca knew exactly what was wrong. Once again, she saw what fear could make somebody do. Rebecca sprinted down the hallway, not caring about her feet getting caught in the webbing. Billy looked back around the corner at the defenseless Fangora. He winced and turned back towards Rebecca again. He couldn't even look at the spider. It only made his inability to shoot it even worse. Rebecca was about ten feet away from Billy when another tarantula jumped off the inner wall and landed in between them and faced Billy.

"Oh my god!" Rebecca yelped in surprise.

"HOLY SHIT!" Billy screamed as he and his partner took aim with their weapons. The monster reared up on its hind legs, hitting the shotgun up and out of Billy's hands. It landed on a part of the web that connected the right wall to the floor. Neither Billy nor Rebecca could get to it because the spider was in the way. When the spider reared up, it startled Rebecca and she stepped back. Billy quickly pulled out his pistol and started firing into the animal's head once it came back down. He fired in a fearful rage, only wanting to get the thing away from him. He hit the eyes a couple times, making it screech. The tarantula stepped back a little, trying to protect its head with its pedipalps.

Rebecca was about to fire too when the monster lifted its abdomen up and sprayed a heavy layer of webbing at her. She screamed as the sticky substance knocked the pistol out of her hands and stuck it to a wall. The spray covered her waist and stuck her hands to her stomach. The monster turned and faced her with the intent of injecting her with its deadly venom. Rebecca whimpered as the arachnid advanced. She thought about running, but the spider would probably get the instinct to chase her and she wouldn't be able to outrun it. She tried desperately to get her hands unstuck so she could rip her gun from the wall and defend herself, but the webbing was too strong.

Billy knew the dangerous monster was about to attack Rebecca, but he was caught in fear. Why did his arachnophobia have to put everyone else in danger? It wasn't fair! He dropped his pistol without knowing and just stood still panting with his heart rate rising. He was shaking uncontrollably and could barely get a grasp on the situation anymore. He felt like Fangora: helpless and caught in a confusing trace.

"Billy! Help!" Rebecca cried out, scared out of her mind as the spider was backing her into the wall. Billy suddenly snapped out of it from the call for help by Rebecca. He suddenly felt no fear of the giant spider, but only rage and the desire to protect her. Billy looked down and saw the shotgun up for grabs, since the tarantula had moved out of the way. He jumped for it and grabbed it with his right hand. He rolled to the left and underneath the spider's abdomen. Luckily, the part of the floor Billy touched had no webbing on it, so he didn't get stuck. The spider was bending down, about to thrust itself up onto its hind legs so it could leap at Rebecca and make a fatal strike. When it bent its cephalothorax down, its abdomen raised just enough so Billy could fit under it. He jammed the barrel of the shotgun against its hairy flesh and pulled the trigger. The abomination screamed as a huge, gaping hole was torn in its fragile abdomen. Yellow guts sprayed everywhere, including on Billy's face. The creature fell to the floor with only a few twitches left in its system.

Billy stood up and used his shirt as a towel to wipe the tarantula's insides off his face. He put the shotgun in its holster and picked up his pistol again. He slipped it into his pocket and walked to Rebecca. He proceeded to help get the webbing off of her.

"Thanks, Billy," Rebecca said gratefully, "You came through for me again."

"What?" Billy asked as he freed her hands.

"You killed the tarantula. You overcame your fear and saved me." Rebecca told him. Billy looked behind him and saw what he did to the monster. He surprised himself at what he was able to do. It was like he did it all on instinct and didn't remember doing it. He grabbed Rebecca's pistol from the wall and gave it back to her. They heard a scream of pain and suddenly remembered Fangora. The two ran down the hall without a second thought.

Fangora lay on the floor, still in somewhat of a trance as the spider tried to bite her. She could see the spider, she could feel the prickly hairs from its feet on her skin, but she still couldn't react or move. Fortunately, without her knowing, her instincts took over her mind enough to make her move her head out of the way each time the spider tried to bite her. Her awareness had not completely come back yet from the shock of the connections and transitions between the world of illusion and the world of reality.

"Snap out of it!" the voice in Fangora's head ordered, "You're back in the real world now and you've got yourself in trouble! Wake up already! Hurry and kill this thing before it kills you!" Fangora stayed in her overwhelmed and confused trance, "Fine. Then the spider will wake you up for me!" Fangora stopped resisting and the spider bit into her neck, injecting venom into her system. The sudden pain brought Fangora back from her zombie-like trance with a loud scream. She screamed out of anger towards herself and the monster and pain and surprise from the wound. She was mad at herself for having a weak mind, which caused her to be vulnerable. This in turn would put Billy and Rebecca in much more danger than they already were in. Fangora could sense her friends were fighting another enemy, but she wouldn't be able to help them unless she killed this monster first.

Fangora's claws were already unsheathed, so she moved her hands up and let them pierce the feet of her attacker. It struggled and tried to get away, but the girl's claws held fast. Eventually the giant spider pulled away from the girl, shredding its front two legs and freeing Fangora's feet. In insane anger, Fangora sheathed her claws and grabbed the severely injured legs. She pushed her legs up and kicked the spider, throwing it over her head and behind her. Her back was to the spider as it jumped back onto its feet. It tried to charge and strike her from behind, but Fangora delivered a spin-hook kick to its face. She pointed her toes at the end of her attack and scratched two of its eyes with her sharp toenails. The monster stumbled back and covered the two eyes while shrieking in fury and pain.

The pain from the bite was still stinging her neck. The wound still bled, but it wasn't that that caused the pain. She suddenly realized that the venom was slowing her down and very slowly making her sick. The venom couldn't kill her because of the strength the T-Virus gave her body, but it would weaken her for a little while. If she used a blue Mbiriri herb or a first aid spray, she'd feel fine again in a matter of minutes.

As the tarantula regained its composure, it opened its mouth and spit acid at her. She jumped lightly left and right on the walls, dodging the attacks as she moved closer in for the kill of the spider. The streaks of acid hit the walls and floor, burning the webbing and small pieces of the cement away. She was getting close when she barely dodged one spray. Part of it hit her upper right arm and started burning through her skin, putting more venom in her system. The rest of the acid stream hit a hidden egg sack in the top corner of the wall behind her. The acid sizzled through the webbing and destroyed the eggs of the unborn tarantulas within. Fangora knew of the defeat of the group of arachnid babies, and stayed alert to the possibility of more. The added dosage of venom stung her arm enough, but the acid eating away at her flesh felt a million times worse. She usually could cope with a lot pain because of the enhanced stamina she possessed. She tried to ignore the intense pain even though she felt the acid stop dissolving just before it hit bone.

When Fangora was close enough, she launched herself off a wall, falling towards the monster. She thrust her clawed left hand in the space between its cephalothorax and abdomen. The spider screamed loudly as the sharp forms of fused keratin pierced its body. The two body segments were hanging on by a thread. Fang's momentum continued and she brought her legs over her head and did a front hand spring, her feet contacting the ground one after the other. Her claws still held onto the spider as she came upright again, which pulled the arachnid onto its hind legs. The young B.O.W. jumped and pushed both legs back at the same time, pulling her weapons out of her enemy and making herself horizontal. She kicked the spider where her claws once were, breaking the monster in half and throwing it across the hall. Blood sprayed against the walls and Fangora. The girl did a front roll as she contacted the floor and stood up, the spider's blood dripping off her body. She was getting used to being covered with the blood of others and her instinct made her like it. She licked and sheathed her claws and turned around to see her friends now standing next to the fallen tarantula.

"I thought you wouldn't make it with you in that trance and all." Billy said.

"We heard you scream! Thank God you're-" Rebecca stopped when she saw the acid burn on Fangora's arm and the bite marks on her neck, "Your arm! Your neck! What happened?"

"I got bitten on the neck, sprayed on the arm by acid, and envenomated. It won't kill me, so don't-" Fangora stopped when she heard a pop and the sound of a lot of small objects dropping on the floor. It came from the corridor behind Billy and Rebecca. Fangora suddenly gasped when she realized what it was.

"What's wrong?" Billy asked.

"Get over here, quick!" Fangora ordered. The two humans complied without a second thought. She was back to normal and after what happened with the centipede, if she said to run, they would obey.

"What is it this time?" Rebecca inquired, full of worry.

"There was an egg sack in the second hall. It just burst!" Fangora said, hearing the scuttling of hundreds of baby, mutant tarantulas.

"Oh, damn!" Billy panicked, his arachnophobia kicking in again as he readied his shotgun.

"Billy, stand down! Rebecca, replace the grenade rounds with napalm rounds from your bandolier! Hurry and wait for my command!" Fangora ordered like a captain on a battlefield. Fang's two comrades obeyed. Billy was happy to not do anything in this situation and just hoped it would be over soon. They could easily just run through the door behind them, but when they'd have to return through the same door, the spiders would get them. They had to kill them all off now when they had the advantage of the creatures all coming at them at once in the same direction. Billy and Rebecca could now hear the scuttling and the corridor began to swarm with baby tarantulas the size of the giant tarantulas in South America.

"Can I fire now?" Rebecca squeaked.

"Not yet." Fangora answered. She wanted to wait until more came so they could kill all of them with one round. They got closer and closer faster than any of them hoped.

"Now?" Rebecca trembled.

"Fire one!" Fangora screamed. The young cop quickly opened fire. She had to restrain herself from firing more than once out of fear of the hoard of smaller arachnids. A few would be easy to take care of, but in a group that huge, not even Fang would be willing to risk it, since she was already being slowed down by the venom in her body. When the special grenade round hit the floor, a wall of flame erupted like a hundred Molotov cocktails. The flames spread out and burned all the tarantulas in its path as well as the webbing. The baby monsters screamed when they were engulfed by the outcome of the powerful weapon in Rebecca's hands. The spiders could run no further when their legs turned into ashen twigs and one-by-one, they dropped in flaming piles. When the hall was silent with the exception of the crackling fire, Fangora smiled and turned around. As she cut through the webbing around the door behind her allies, the flames started to die down and finish staining the cement walls with permanent, dark marks. Billy and Rebecca trusted Fang's judgment that the danger was gone and they gladly followed after she opened the door.

The three entered the room and Billy closed the creaky, wooden door behind them. It was a small room made out of cement and like the hallway, it was wearing away. There was an old-style heater to the left of the door and the floor held power cables that stretched to the walls. There was a desk with stacked papers, books, a telephone, bottles of pills, and a lamp against the wall opposite the door. Luckily the lamp was working. To the right of the door was a small alcove with a smaller desk that had pretty much the same things on it, with the addition of a typewriter and no meds. On the wall to the right of this desk was a map of the facility's basement. To the left was an observation window covered with an iron grille that was illuminated by the small light of dancing flames inside. To the left of the window was a rack of chains and handcuffs and another old looking, wooden door like the one they just walked through. Except this new door had a little window in it that was protected by iron bars. Under the rack was a blue herb.

"Phew! I'm glad that's over." Billy sighed while slumping against the door.

"Don't celebrate yet, Billy," Fangora warned while sitting down at the desk across from him, "Who knows what we'll run into next. Maybe there are more of those things."

"No," Billy whined looking up at the ceiling and shutting his eyes, "No more of those! They are the worst monsters yet!"

"Hey, I thought you conquered your arachnophobia when you saved me." Rebecca teased, sitting by Fangora on the desk.

"That was just a moment of insanity. Don't count on getting such luck again." Billy told the cop, while looking around the room.

"Well, if there are more, next time we'll be ready for them." Rebecca assured.

"And next time I won't fall for anymore illusions!" Fangora announced.

"An illusion, huh? So that's what made you go all weird." Rebecca said, taking out some first aid spray after noticing Fangora's injuries again.

"Yeah. It was so weird," Fangora explained, "That little voice in my head kept telling me that something wasn't right and I should turn back, but I didn't listen. And by doing that, I got you in trouble. I'm really sorry, guys. Luckily Billy found a way to handle himself."

"Indeed," Rebecca agreed, "Now show me your injuries and I'll fix them up for you."

"No," Fangora resisted, "I'll be fine. I'm stronger than you, so I can deal with it. Save that stuff for yourselves when you get in trouble. You need it more than me."

"Fang, you got envenomated and burned by acid! You need medical treatment no matter how tough you are!" Rebecca said sternly, trying to reach for Fangora's arm.

"No, really! The injuries don't bother me that much and the venom won't kill me. It will just weaken me a little for a while. When I was envenomated, I was still able to take down the spider on my own. I can handle things, really I can."

"Come on, Becca. Leave her alone. You heard her: she'll be fine. She's a tough soldier." Billy seconded while taking the map.

"Stay out of this, Billy!" Rebecca snapped.

"Ok, ok," Billy submitted, "Don't go all PMS on me."

"Why you-" Rebecca was cut off from her threat when Fangora grabbed her arm to get her attention.

"Ok! You can spray me up! Go for it!" Fangora agreed so Rebecca and Billy wouldn't get into another fight. Her scheme worked and Rebecca turned back around as if nothing happened and went to work on Fangora happily.

"Thank you." Billy mouthed to Fangora who winked in response. If there were two things in the world that scared Billy the most: they were spiders and angry women. Fangora winced and clenched her fangs when Rebecca sprayed her arm and neck. She didn't scream, but just took a deep breath. It did hurt, but not as much as it would hurt Billy or Rebecca. When the pain was gone, Fang felt her wounds to see they were gone.

"There. Good as new." Rebecca commented.

"I should be back to normal strength in a couple minutes." Fangora informed.

"Ok." Billy said as he studied the map. Rebecca picked up the blue herb and put it into her med pack along with the remainder of the first aid spray.

"So what was that illusion you saw?" Rebecca asked while looking at the map. Billy gave it to her, moved to the papers next to Fangora and started looking through them, but ready to listen to her at the same time.

"Well when I turned the corner, all of the webbing was gone and everything looked normal, but there was a fight going on in the third hall," Fangora told, "A Japanese guy and a Caucasian woman ran around the corner, trying to escape from guards just like I was in the memory I had earlier. The man was a skilled fighter, but like me failed to escape. They both were shot by tranquilizer darts and carried into here. I called out to them and tried to help, but I was going so slowly. That must have been the webbing on the floor that was catching my feet. I couldn't see or hear you, just as they couldn't see or hear me. But just before I snapped back to reality, they said, 'Remember us!' The man said it in Japanese and the woman said it in French. They were the same voices that were talking to me when I was looking at the painting. They were my parents. I know they were." Fangora felt like she was reliving the illusion and she started to go back into a trance of shock and wonder about her parents.

"Wow," Billy said, bringing Fangora back to reality, "So do you remember them entirely? Their names?"

"No. My mom called my dad, Naoto. That's all I know."

"What did they look like?" Rebecca asked.

"My mom was 5'4", chubby, not very pretty, but had shoulder-length curly blond hair, and blue eyes. My dad was 5'8", fit, handsome, was middle-aged like my mom, and had dark brown eyes and long raven black hair."

"Interesting." Rebecca commented.

"What? Why did you ask?" Fangora questioned.

"No reason, really. Just curious."

"Looks like somebody was obsessed with work, here." Billy said looking at what the contents of the meds were.

"Why do you say that?" Fangora asked, looking behind herself at him.

"Because one of these is for headaches and the other is to keep someone awake."

"Naoto," Rebecca pondered when she thought about Fangora's illusion again, "I've heard about him somehow. I know that name."

"Probably in a missing persons report?" Billy asked.

"If I knew the last name, I'd know," Rebecca said, "I'm good with names, but not faces. Your theory does make sense though."

"Hey. Listen to this," Billy said while holding a piece of paper and facing the two girls,

" 'Correctional Institute Inmates List

Matthews, K.  
Deceased. Disposal Complete.

Midge, D.

Deceased. Disposal Complete.

Keith, W.

Preserved as specimen.

Savage, C.

Transported to research facilities.

Royce, M.

Transported to research facilities.

Davids, A.

Preserved as specimen.

Clarke, A.

Transported to research facilities.

Ellens, J.

Transported to research facilities.

Terrence, O.

Deceased. Disposal Complete.

Kait, A.

Transported to Arklay laboratory.

Gerry, O.

Deceased. Disposal Complete.

Scott, S.

Transported to research facilities.

Mitchel, F.

Transported to research facilities.

Kerry, T.

Transported to Arklay laboratory.

Robert, A.

Transported to research facilities.

(Transported individuals to be deleted from the records).' "

"These people just keep getting better and better, don't they?" Rebecca said sarcastically.

"Yeah," Billy agreed, "Wait, this mentioned the research facilities here, but what's this Arklay laboratory? Don't tell me there's another one of these facilities in this forest!" Billy knew the answer would be yes, but he still hoped it would be no.

"There is," Fangora said, "I read up on it. The Spencer Mansion is the other lab that document is talking about."

"Oh! Of course! Sir Spencer! He must have a lab underground, beneath his mansion!"

"Sir Spencer? You mean one of the top Umbrella guys?" Billy asked worriedly, "He has a hidden lab beneath his mansion which is _also_ in this forest?"

"Bingo." Fang retorted.

"Crap! Do you know if the Spencer Mansion had a leak too?" Rebecca inquired.

"I don't know. I half hope not."

"Half?" Billy asked while looking through more papers and books.

"I hope it didn't leak because if it did that means more unleashed monsters to cause trouble, but I hope it did leak because those sickos working there deserve it and when they're zombies, they can't go around ordering inmates and kidnapping people!" Fangora finished with a huff. She knew she and her parents were kidnapped and tested on. It made perfect sense. But what if her parents were working for Umbrella? What if they betrayed and tested on her and then other scientists tested on them? Even though Fangora didn't remember her parents' character, she thought it unlikely that they were a part of developing such atrocities.

Billy and Rebecca knew what Fangora was thinking and they believed the same thing. They thought it best to leave Fang be and let her think and blow off some steam on her own. So they continued to look around and distract themselves, trying to find more answers to questions.

Fangora sighed and stood up. She went to open the door to the room the observation window was looking at. She was now back to her full strength, but afraid of what she might find inside. She wasn't afraid of monsters, oh no. It was memories she was still afraid of. After the visions and voices she remembered and saw, she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out. At the same time, something drove her desire to remember. Everything couldn't be all bad, could it?

Fangora twisted the knocker doorknob and stepped inside. The place reminded her of a dungeon from the Middle Ages and it stunk. She put her hand over her mouth and nose, trying to protect her sensitive nose from the stench. The place reeked of blood, feces, and decay. Flies bussed around the room, which was lit by one torch next to the observation window. Many chains and shackles hung from the walls and the pillar in the middle of the room. Many of them were broken and hooks and ropes hung from the walls. Blood and old flesh clung to the shackles. There was a large bloodstain on the wall opposite the door that had drizzled down and pooled on the floor. And to her right the remnants of a spray and a wide pool of blood on the floor. There was a small vent with the steel grille cover hanging off of it in the far corner of the opposite wall.

"I was held here." Fangora whispered when she recognized everything.

"What was that?" Billy asked, coming up behind her. Fangora walked in further and looked around, taking in absolutely everything to see if they were familiar.

"I was here," Fangora said again, "I was held in this room those months ago. I'm sure of it! My parents must have been too!"

"Yeah. That sounds right, considering what you saw in the illusion." Billy answered walking to the open vent.

"They were kidnapped like me. I'm pretty sure that's how it happened," Fangora said to him, "But, but do you think there's a possibility that they were working for Umbrella?"

"They were kidnapped." Rebecca corrected through the observation window.

"What? How do you know?" Billy asked trotting back to Rebecca.

"Look at this," Rebecca said, showing Billy the old research diary she was looking at, "The names of the people the scientist talking about in this entry are names that I recognize in missing persons reports. He says they lived nearby and kidnapped the daughter first. Then when the parents went looking for her, they got caught too. The dates on the kidnappings happened soon before the time Fang was transferred to that perv in the labs. These three names have to be Fangora and her parents' names."

"Hey, you're right. Good work, Becks!" Billy complimented, making Rebecca grin. On the pillar were three sets of chains and shackles that spawned some interest and wonder in Fangora. The scents were what interested her the most. She made her way over and inspected them as Billy and Rebecca talked to each other. She looked at them and smelled the blood. Of course they all smelled different because there were different people in each set of shackles. She knew the scents very well, but whose blood was it?

"Hey Fang, are you back to full strength yet?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just checking."

"What are the names?" Fangora asked, not looking up.

"The first one is Naoto Mitsusango." Rebecca told her.

"That's my dad," Fangora told them as she remembered the name. She looked at the pair of shackles on the side of the pillar that was facing the vent. She smelled the blood and recognized the scent, "He was right here. This is his blood on the inside of these shackles." Fangora moved to the shackles to the right of her father's and proceeded to smell the blood on them. Billy and Rebecca faintly heard her talking to herself but continued on with the names.

"The second one is Chloé LeClair Mitsusango. That one must be your mom." Billy said through the window.

"It is," Fangora answered, "And this is her blood." Fangora moved to the shackles on the opposite side of the pillar that her father's were on. She knew this scent very well and didn't have to think about it before she knew.

"The last name on the list must be you, then," Rebecca told her, "It's-"

"Liana Akiko Mitsusango," Fangora finished, "That's my name and I was chained right here. I know the scent of my own blood better than anyone else's." Billy and Rebecca were shocked.

"You remembered." Billy stated.

"I remember more than that." Fangora said looking around the room. Billy and Rebecca put the diary down and walked in. Rebecca stopped suddenly when she walked in.

"Oh no." Rebecca breathed.

"What? What's wrong?" Billy asked.

"This is the room from my nightmare!" Rebecca started backing up.

"Nightmare?" Liana said confused.

"Rebecca had a nightmare before she woke up in the infirmary," Billy explained, "It was about her being trapped in a cage and having to watch the ones she loved getting torn apart by some creepy, infected primates."

"Whoa. That sucks. I'm sorry to hear that." Liana commented sympathetically.

"The cage was where the pillar is now." Rebecca added nervously, keeping an eye on the floor. She felt paranoid that it would open up and release evil primates. She started backing up more when Billy grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Don't be scared. That nightmare won't come to life," Billy reassured, "Even if it does, we aren't helpless against them," Rebecca hesitated to come back, "Come on."

"Okay." Rebecca sighed nervously as she walked back to her original place by Billy's side, still clinging to his hand. If her nightmare did come true, she didn't want to be alone and isolated like she was.

"What do you recall?" Rebecca asked Liana.

"They threw me in and chained me right here," Fangora pointed to the spot, "A day later, my parents came and were chained on other sides of the pole. We were tested on a lot and tried to escape several times," Fangora looked up at the vent, "My dad and I plotted in Japanese and I'd explain it to my mom in French, so no one would understand what we were planning. One time when the scientists fell asleep, my dad and I managed to get out of the shackles. He helped me break into the vent and I tried to go around so I could get on the other side of the observation window and unlock the door. I managed to get through the vent and into another room but soon after I walked straight into the guards' quarters and got caught. After that escape attempt, they separated us so we couldn't help each other as easily."

"Do you remember where they put them?" Billy asked.

"I'm remembering as I speak." Fangora informed as she closed her eyes, trying to picture the past, "They put my dad over there by that blood stain on the wall," Fangora pointed to the spots as she spoke, "And they put my mom in that corner, past the torch."

"Whose blood is this?" Billy asked pointing to the old splatter on the walls by the window and the huge puddle beneath it. Fangora took a deep, shaky breath. The scent was strong and she didn't even have to put her face in it to identify whose blood it was. The large bloodstain on the wall was the same case. When she first walked in she recognized the scent like she did with the shackles, but from the amount of blood she saw she was afraid to pay attention to the familiar smell.

"That's my mom's blood," Fangora answered with fear in her voice, "And that big bloodstain on the wall over there came from my dad."

"Oh man," Billy sighed, "That's a lot of blood. I wonder what happened to them. By the amount of blood, I don't think they survived." After Billy said this, Rebecca jabbed him hard in the ribs with her elbow and gave him a scolding stare.

"Don't say that to her!" Rebecca whispered, "You're crushing her hopes of her parents being alive when she's trying to remember them!"

"I heard that Rebecca," Liana informed, "Don't get mad at Billy. I understand your concern, but he's right. That's a lot of blood. Even if they did survive, it's highly unlikely they would make it through a place like this in such a bad condition. It's better to have someone remind me now than to wait until my hopes get higher before getting broken. That would just make things worse."

"Sorry, Bill," Rebecca apologized. Billy responded with a smirk and a playful punch in the shoulder, "Hey Fang-I mean, Liana! Sorry." Rebecca thought that Liana might be offended if she was called by her code name since it represented what she hated the most.

"It's okay, Becky," Liana chuckled, "You can call me what you want. Fang, Liana, Fangora, Akiko- it's all the same to me. They all fit me well."

"I'd prefer to call you by your real name," Rebecca said, "Fangora is a heartless killing machine. You aren't her." Billy nodded in agreement.

"Thanks," Liana smiled, "But I can't really call myself by my real name. I don't remember who that girl is. She's dead now. Whoever she was, I'm not her anymore and there's nothing I can do to change that. Whoever I used to be, it was better than what I am now." The girl lowered her head in sorrow. She hated what she had become. She only hoped that the sacrifice of her humanity would not be in vain.

"Hey Akiko," Billy asked, "What's the last thing you remember about this room? Do you remember what happened to your parents?" Liana understood that remembering what she most likely knew would give her closure and eventual peace, but she was so afraid of what she would recall about her past. She looked at the shackles her parents occupied in the corners of the room. She closed her eyes and concentrated: What happened after they were separated? After about a minute, something started coming back to her.

"I remember that I woke up because I heard my parents pulling against their chains," Liana explained as she saw it playing out in her head, "They didn't look very good and were acting really weird, so I asked if they were ok. They didn't respond. They were trying to get to me for some reason. There were a few rusty links in their chains, so they eventually broke free. They were slow and uncoordinated and they kept coming for me, not answering me. What's wrong with them? What's going on?" Billy and Rebecca exchanged worried glances. Whatever she was seeing, it wasn't good. Suddenly Liana put her hands on her head and kept her eyes tightly shut. She started shaking her head as if trying to throw the image in her head away.

"Liana?" Rebecca reached out to her slowly, "What's wrong? Are you okay? What's happening?"

"No," the girl murmured, "Oh God, no! Why did it have to be that? I don't want to remember anymore!" Whatever this teen was seeing, it must have been really bad to make her so scared. Billy couldn't stand to see her so pained. From what Rebecca knew was happening she was going through a painful nightmare, like herself except hers was real. For this she was very concerned for the girl.

"Akiko, what's happening?" Billy asked. When she started sobbing and letting out small, short screams he turned her around, "Don't remember anymore! Forget about it! Don't watch!"

The girl backed away and started hyperventilating. She pulled her hands over her face as her claws revealed themselves. She couldn't stand watching anymore, so in attempt to make the images go away, she forced her eyes open and pulled her hands away from her face as if the nightmarish memory seeped from her eyes into the palms of her hands where she could dispose of it and never be haunted by it again. This was only the half-truth. For when she looked down at her hands she saw a piece of the memory in them. Of course through the eyes of Rebecca, Billy, and in reality she only held air. If they knew what Liana saw in her hands, they'd understand why she reacted the way she did. All color drained from the girl's already-pale face. She was shaking with her eyes wide in absolute horror.

"Liana, are you okay?" Rebecca knew that was a dumb question, but that was the first thing that came out of her mouth when she tried to communicate with the girl and get some kind of response out of her. No matter what she would have said or done, she'd get no reply from the B.O.W. It is very strange what total terror and shock could do to someone. Akiko heard and would have seen her friends if she looked up, but she acted as if she didn't. She didn't do this intentionally of course. She was so frightened at what she saw that she couldn't move or respond to anything even if she tried. She heard them, but at the same time she didn't. Her fear made her focus unwillingly on what she saw in front of her. Oh she wanted so badly to look away, but it was like Rebecca's dream: she couldn't look away. She was forced to mentally absorb what she saw, which only scared her more with each second's passing. She could hardly breathe or make a sound. Her heart was pumping faster and faster, trying to get more oxygen to her brain. She felt as if she were drowning or being strangled. If she were forced to look at what she was seeing for eternity, it would be the true definition of the torments of hell.

Eventually, she was able to make some sound. It was hardly more than a series of squeaks and quick, small gasps. Billy couldn't take it anymore. He had to pry her away from her hands. Then everything would stop and her nightmare would end. Then he and Rebecca could give her the comfort she needed. Billy walked to the traumatized girl and was about to reach out and turn her head away, but before he could Liana let out a blood-curdling scream. Billy and Rebecca jumped back when they heard it. Their comrade had screamed before, but only out of rage or pain. But this was a cry they never thought they'd hear from her: pure fear. This girl was strong and brave enough to fight against any horrifying creature without fear or worry. And now she was completely terrified. About what? They didn't exactly know. Rebecca feared to guess what Liana saw and could only hope what she was experiencing wasn't worse than the nightmare she had not long ago. However, if what Akiko was seeing was even less than what Rebecca's nightmare was, it would still be so much worse because it was real. Judging by the scream, it had to be really bad to start with.

The scream was long and loud and forced the humans to cover their ears. It was almost like the ear-piercing shriek of a banshee. When the scream ended, Liana collapsed onto the floor and didn't move or make a sound.

"Liana!" Billy and Rebecca rushed to their friend's side. Billy turned her over onto her back and Rebecca checked her vitals.

"Is she okay?" Billy asked very concerned.

"Yeah. She's just unconscious," Rebecca gratefully informed, "Physically she's fine. Her breathing and heart rate are coming back to normal and her color is returning."

"Good," Billy sighed, "Poor girl. I wonder what she saw."

"Let's just pray that things will be better when she wakes up."

"We should keep going and let her rest." Billy suggested as he stood up.

"But when she wakes up, she'll need someone to be here with her." Rebecca protested. She knew from experience that having someone with you when an ordeal like that was over makes all the difference in the world.

"Good point," Billy agreed, "Well since I'm too big to fit in the vent, I could boost you up and while you're doing your thing and exploring, I could stay here with Liana."

"Okay. That sounds fine," Rebecca stood up and walked to the vent, "So how are we gonna do this?"

"Well you can't go head-first or else you'll have problems when you try to get out on the other side. Can you do a hand-stand?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Good. Okay, here's what we'll do. I could lift you up and you could do a handstand on my shoulders. I'll slide you in the vent with your belly down."

"Alright, but I'll have to take my stuff off or I won't fit," Rebecca unclipped her medpack, "I'll need a boost to toss my stuff in the vent before I go in." Billy leaned up against the wall and entwined her fingers together so Rebecca could have a good foothold to stand up on. Rebecca put the medpack straps in her mouth and stood up on Billy's hands and then his shoulders. She took the medpack out of her mouth and tossed it into the vent. She removed the grenade launcher from around her shoulder and neck and pushed it through the vent along with her pistol and radio. Rebecca jumped off and she and Billy switched places. Billy held onto Rebecca's hips and Rebecca put her hands on Billy's shoulders.

"Ready?" Billy asked with a feeling of awkwardness in his voice. He didn't know why standing like that with Rebecca seemed embarrassing to him, but it just did. The position seemed a little awkward to Rebecca too and she almost blushed. She nodded in response to Billy's small question, "Okay. One, two, three, and up." As Billy said this, he lifted and held Rebecca up as she pushed down on his shoulders so she was almost upside down.

"Don't you dare drop me." Rebecca warned.

"Don't worry. I won't even though this is harder to hold you up than it looks." Billy strained.

"Oh, that's very comforting!"

"Then hurry up and find the wall! This is getting too awkward and tiring!"

"I can't unless you move forward so I can touch the wall, you ding dong!"

"Okay, okay. Hold up. I'll try to move without falling backwards." Billy steadied himself and started inching forward.

"You better not! I don't want to crack my head open just because you're being an uncoordinated idiot!"

"I'd like to see you try this, Ms. I-Know-Everything." Billy retorted as he slowly moved closer to the wall.

"Okay, my feet are touching the wall now." Rebecca told him.

"Good. Now just walk up the wall and get your feet into the vent." Billy grunted. Rebecca followed directions until her feet slipped inside.

"I'm in."

"Alright. I'll push you inside now." Billy worked his hands up her vest as he pushed her further into the vent. Doing that necessity felt _very _awkward to both people and Billy apologized for a certain place he touched while doing it. As Rebecca was pushed in, her feet shoved her stuff out the other end.

"I'll take it from here." said the cop as she scooted herself the rest of the way in. It was a tight fit in the vent and made Rebecca feel claustrophobic. She scooted down the vent until the opening to Billy's side was a few feet away. Then her feet came out of the vent followed by the rest of her body. She dropped down into the new room and put her equipment back on. Rebecca gasped when she turned around to survey the room.

It was a torture chamber. There were bloodstained iron maidens and a well with a cage above it to drown people in. There were torches around the room, chains, bloodstains, and ropes. All of them had obviously been put to use, but not recently. Rebecca was filled with an overwhelming sense of fright and hatred. How could Umbrella do all of that to innocent people? Why? Why torture them? At least (as far as she knew) there wasn't anyone else in the facility that could capture and torture her and her friends.

"It's a torture chamber in here, literally. Over." Rebecca said over the radio.

"What the crap?" was Billy's response as he sat by Liana, "What's in there besides torture devices? Over."

"The room splits to the left, right, and directly in front a row of metal electric chairs that are scarred with numerous claw marks. The texture of the chamber looks the same as the dungeon. Over."

"Claw marks? I don't like the sound of that. Be careful over there Rebecca. Over."

Rebecca walked to the right and saw a rusty metal door. She opened it with her pistol ready and stepped inside. It was dark and smelly inside with only the flickering light above working. She saw a bed, a broken locker, a gas canister, a desk, random junk, and some trashed monitors and control panels in the side of the room where another light sat.

"I've entered a different room. I think it's the guard's quarters. Over." Rebecca told him.

"See anything useful? Over."

"Yeah. There's a ZOMBIE!" Rebecca screamed out of surprise as a zombie grabbed her foot from underneath the bed. She quickly shot it in the head and it let go.

"What was that? Over."

"Under the bed, there was a ZOMBIE!" Rebecca yelled again as another dead guard grabbed her from under the desk. She killed it just as she did its comrade.

"Are they gone yet? Over." Billy asked with a laugh.

"I think so. I found three clips of handgun ammo and seven shotgun rounds. Over." Rebecca responded as she packed them away.

"Hey Becca? Over."

"What? Over." Rebecca asked as she tried to open a metal door on the other side of the room. It was locked and had some spider webbing that had seeped in the cracks a little.

"When did we start saying over? Over."

"Just now. Over." Rebecca smiled.

"Why? Over."

"I dunno. Is it a problem? Over." Rebecca chuckled.

"Yeah. It's freaking annoying!"

"Okay, okay we'll stop," Rebecca laughed, "There's a door to the spider nest here, but it's locked."

"Alright, I know what door you're talking about. Head back to the torture chamber and see what else you can find there."

"Heading out." Rebecca said as she left the room.

Rebecca walked back into the torture chamber and saw a piece of paper on the floor. She picked it up and read it over the radio.

" 'About the Power Regulator

Due to the recent lightning strike, the power regulator continues to be inoperative. I wouldn't really care about the power, except for the fact that the boiler room equipment is on the same grid. The equipment is so run down, I'll probably have to have it fixed up all the time. If you wish to exit rapidly set the indicator to 70. Check first though that everything is connected to the chain.' "

"Okay, it looks like we know how to get passed the boiler now. Do you see the power regulator?" Billy asked.

"Yeah, I see it." Rebecca said as she went to the left of where she started. She saw a power regulator in an alcove. There was a dial with a needle that pointed to the voltage, which was currently on zero. It went up to 100 and 70 to 100 was in red. There were five switches below it with swaying needles above each. If she flipped it down, the main needle would go down in voltage. She messed with them trying to get the needle on 70. She eventually got it by this order in switches: up, up, down, up, up. When this happened, Rebecca heard the metal door to the spider nest unlock and the pressure in the boiler down stairs went down so the steam stopped spraying out of the pipe.

"Billy, the door is now unlocked and the wall of steam from the boiler downstairs should be gone now." Rebecca said though the radio.

"Good. Come on back here and we'll wait until Liana wakes up before we leave again." Billy answered.

"Roger. Over and out." Rebecca clipped her radio to her pants again and headed for the door.

"You said over!"

"Shut up, Billy!" Rebecca yelled at the vent. She heard him laugh and continued on.

As Rebecca was speaking to Billy she didn't know someone was watching her through surveillance camera.

In a dark room, the mysterious young man watched Rebecca on the camera monitor.

"You are wasting your time," the man droned at the monitor, "I have already claimed this place for myself. Which means that you are trespassing. And I am very territorial." He let out an evil laugh as he pressed a switch on the control panel below the monitors. Somewhere in the facility, a group of monsters were released from the shadows of their cages.

Rebecca didn't move far when one of the new monsters screamed in a raspy voice and jumped onto Rebecca's back. It dug its small claws into her shoulders and bit her neck. Rebecca screamed out of surprise, terror, and pain. She eventually was able to throw the thing off. When Rebecca turned around to see what the creature was, her breath caught in her throat. The yellow eyes, the decaying gray flesh, the small body, the white fur, and the salivating mouth. It was the primate from her nightmare. She slowly backed up and stood by the power regulator. She heard the floor cracking and tried to move but the primate jumped on her again. The addition of weight made the floor break and both fell into the unknown with a scream.

Yey! Evil monkeys! Those things drove me nuts in the game though! They just won't die! And my buddy, Jessica, was a genius again with fighting choreography. The majority of it was her work. After Liana got burned, then I planned the rest. So if you thought it was cool, thank her. Now review again while I go back to school! Ya know? I think I've been writing for almost a year now! OO Yey!


	8. Truth Unveiled

Sorry this took months, but I had a bad case of this weird type of writer's block where you know what to write but for some ungodly reason, you just can't write it down. Also being a junior in high school has made me busy and grrrr to it all! Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 8 Truth Unveiled 

Birkin and Wesker walked down the cold cement hallway somewhere in the depths of the Training Facility. Birkin was holding a clipboard with some printed papers on them. He skimmed through the pages over and over.

"It just doesn't make sense," Birkin told Wesker in frustration, "Do you really believe this to be the true identity of that crazy young man? Impossible! But if somehow it was true, then Umbrella would be finished!" The scientist was obsessively panicked by this fear for it would be much more difficult to work on his experiments if the company he was working for was destroyed. The two co-workers turned a corner in the hallway and walked towards the wide, thick metal door of an elevator.

"If the old conspiracy against Dr. Marcus is revealed then Mr. Spencer's career will be over. Not to mention ours too," Wesker said with strange calmness. He understood the problems that strange man of the leeches posed, but he had plans. He wouldn't let that freak screw up his new experiment. He pressed the upper arrow on the small control panel next to the elevator. It glowed yellow and the whirring of the cables bringing the elevator down could be heard, "So the time has come at last."

"What are you going to do?" Birkin asked with concern. He knew how reckless and unpredictable Wesker could be, and sometimes how foolish he was at times.

"I will simply say goodbye to Umbrella. The biological weapon utilizing the T-Virus has almost been completed. All I need is combat data." Wesker's calm tone and mischievous smile made even Birkin's skin crawl.

"You can't be serious! I refuse to abandon my work!" Birkin shouted angrily, "I have completed my research on the T-Virus, but I need a little more time to complete my work on the more powerful G-Virus!" Wesker turned his head to see the elevator doors open. Birkin tensed up. Would Wesker let him continue his research?

"He has to! I won't have it any other way!" Birkin thought, "I can't just throw away my life's work! Albert has to understand that!"

"Do as you wish," the S.T.A.R.S. captain smiled as he walked into the elevator, "I will follow my initial plan and lure the S.T.A.R.S. members into the mansion. They're superior combat training will make them perfect test subjects." He chuckled sadistically as he pressed the button for the first floor.

"Fine," Birkin sighed with relief, "In the meantime, something must be done about that mad-man!" Birkin let out when he got an idea, "I remember that URC has a self-destruct system somewhere in the basement. I'll find it, set it off, and annihilate the place into nothing more than a mass of rubble." William smiled at his plan to get rid of the mysterious boy as the doors of the elevator closed and Albert ascended to the surface.

"No vengeance for you sir," William thought, "_My _work will outlive yours by far! _I_ am the true leader of Umbrella now!"

Rebecca clung for dear life to a rusty beam. When the infected primate and Rebecca had fallen through the floors, Rebecca fell to the next floor and grabbed a metal beam that was sticking out of the edge of another hole. The primate didn't catch anything and it fell to its death. Below the young cop was a deep, black abyss. She looked down and couldn't see the bottom. She didn't even hear the crazed ape hit the bottom. The echo of its scream had already faded away which made Rebecca even more scared. Another frightening fact was that when Rebecca grabbed the metal beam, the force of gravity and the momentum she developed while falling had pulled on her arms and tweaked the joints in her arms, hands, and fingers. It ached already and the pain just kept getting worse the more she held on. Rebecca was afraid that her grip would give out if she reached for her radio to call Billy for help. She tried to pull herself up, but she wasn't strong enough and there wasn't anything to place her feet on to help stabilize herself and push up. She yelled as loud as she could for help, hoping Billy would hear her. She heard some growling in the torture chamber above. She looked up and saw three more primates looking over the edge of the hole at her. They started screaming and jumping angrily because she was out of reach for a kill.

"Damn! There's more of them!" Rebecca thought as she tried to yell louder over the screeching of the apes, "Well, at least they can't get me from here." Suddenly, one of the infected primates jumped through the hole, aiming to land on her and fulfilling its bloodthirsty instincts. Rebecca screamed when it grabbed her back. Before it could bite her, Rebecca reached behind her and grabbed its foot. She tore it away from her, but now the thing was on her arm. It bit into her wrist, searching for the artery. Rebecca immediately pulled her arm up and smashed its head into the bar. The top of its head split open two inches deep, destroying its brain. The blood sprayed on Rebecca and soaked the bar, making it slippery and hard to hold onto. The monster went limp and dropped down into the unknown below.

Rebecca painfully grabbed onto the bleeding bar again with her injured hand. She looked up at the remaining creatures, hoping they wouldn't try to jump down and attack her again.

"Stupid thing! What do they think they're going to do after they kill me while I'm hanging here! They would only die with me when I fall. Oh, who am I kidding? These things don't think! All they know is hunger, not common sense!"

One of the monsters was about to jump down when they heard a loud, "Hey!" echo through the room. Rebecca saw the primates turn towards the door in the dungeon and screeched. In an instant, they forgot about the injured cop and focused on the new intruder. The B.O.W.s vanished from Rebecca's sight and she heard cracking bones, screams (both human and monster), and a shotgun blast. Moments later it was silent until Rebecca called for Billy.

"I hope he didn't get killed by those things." She thought.

"Rebecca!" Billy called, "Are you okay?" He looked in the hole and saw her hanging from the bar. He was scratched a little on the arms, but seemed to be fine.

"My arms hurt and my right wrist and neck are crap, but besides that I'm okay."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. The floor just broke after one of those primates attacked. It fell pretty far, but I caught this bar and jammed my arms. Then another one jumped and tried to kill me. He bit my wrist, but I was able to kill him. I don't know how much longer I can hold on." Rebecca sounded really scared.

"Alright, I'm gonna get you outta there. Where do I go? The boiler room?" Billy sounded concerned too, but was trying to stay calm.

"Yes, that must be it since there's no place else to go that's available. Wait, what about Liana?"

"I left my radio with her. She's safe. She'll be alright. Do you still have your radio?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, stay calm. I'm coming to get you. You'll be okay, just hang in there!" Billy got up and started running towards the door.

"Hurry!" Rebecca yelled. She heard the rusty bar bend and screamed, "Oh my God, hurry!"

Billy sprinted through the guard's quarters and into the half burned tarantula nest. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, not thinking about possible monsters lurking in new parts of the Training Facility he was about to enter. He didn't even think about where he was going or even the condition of Liana. All he was thinking about was what would happen if Rebecca died. He wouldn't be able to live with himself. He couldn't let an innocent girl like her die, not another. He didn't even bother stopping to turn the knobs on the doors he encountered. He just rammed his shoulder into the doors and forced them open.

He quickly came upon the boiler room. He saw that Rebecca was right in that the steam wall was now gone.

"She's always right." Billy thought. Even if the steam wasn't gone, he still would've run through it. He didn't care what would've happened to him if he did. He'd rather get all his skin seared off by hot steam than let Rebecca die. He could still feel the heat off the metal of the giant boiler as he ran around it. He snatched up a blue and two green herbs and put them in his pocket before he reached a small stairwell. He jumped down to the bottom and rammed open the decomposing peeling-paint door.

The texture on the room inside was stony and dark. There were more torches and to the left was an alcove with a stone circle of animal statues. It looked somewhat like a fountain. There were small torch dishes ready to be lit next to each of the six statues along with an inscription. There was a horse, a snake, an eagle, a wolf, a mountain lion, and a deer. Behind the statues was a hallway that was blocked off by metal bars. Billy ran down the hall in front of him.

"Hang on, Becks! I'm almost there!" Billy thought. He didn't notice the three killer primates in the way until he tripped over them. He fell on his stomach and the monsters grabbed his legs, preventing him from getting up. He rolled over onto his back with his shotgun ready. He shot the first one in the chest when it jumped at his face. It flew across the room from the impact and hit the wall by the door Billy just came through. Billy ignored the two other creatures and tried to get up. He didn't have time for these things. He had to get to Rebecca and fast. He only raised a few inches when the other two jumped on his chest. His quick reflexes allowed him to hit them in the head with the butt of his shotgun. They screamed as they tumbled off of Billy and into the wall. He scrambled to his feet and started running again. He was almost around the corner when he felt something jump on his back. Out of surprise and instinct, he immediately slammed his back up against the wall, making the primate let go. He turned around and saw it was the first primate he attacked with the shotgun. It was torn up from the blast and had been mashed into a wall, but this small being was still alive.

"Don't you damn monkeys ever die!" Billy screamed as he pointed his shotgun at the primate again and pulled the trigger. He only heard a click. Before the monster could stabilize itself from being rammed into the stone wall, the human raised the butt of the shotgun up and slammed it down on the primate's head like an ax on wood. It's skull split and its blood and brains emptied out onto the floor. Next to the primate was a clip of handgun ammo with only five bullets in it. Billy quickly picked it up and pocketed it as the other two enemies jumped at Billy. He pulled out his pistol and shot them both in the head before he turned the corner and saw a rusty metal door. He was about to open it when he discovered the hall turned right into an oval shaped wooden door.

"Which one is she in?" Billy thought, "I guess I'll just have to guess and hope I'm right." Billy was about to open the first door when he heard screaming coming from the other one further down the hallway.

"Rebecca!" Billy cried as he dashed down the hall.

Rebecca screamed as the bar broke in half. The slant made it even harder to hold onto. It was so badly rusted it quickly started bending, making the piece Rebecca was holding onto vertical. She tried to grab onto another piece of metal with her good hand, but her injured hand slipped and she fell. She closed her eyes when she felt the metal slip away and prepared for death.

"I'm not ready to leave yet! I never got to say goodbye to mom or dad or my sisters. At least it will be quick. It's a long fall," Rebecca thought, "I'm sorry I couldn't hang on anymore, Billy. Goodb-"

"Rebecca!" she heard Billy's voice. She opened her eyes and looked up. He was holding onto her left wrist with a frightened and desperate look in his eyes.

"Billy!" Rebecca was never so glad to see him.

"Hang on. I'll pull you up." Billy grunted as he started pulling. Rebecca got a grip on his wrist. Billy stood up as he pulled her and when she was high enough, Rebecca put her foot on one of the pipes sticking out of the hole and pushed in attempt to help him with the lift. As she did this, she ended up launching herself up and ramming into Billy, causing him to fall backward. He landed on his back with Rebecca on top of him with her arms around his neck and he hugging her around the waist.

"That was way too close. I almost lost her." Billy thought as he closed his eyes and tried to catch his breath. He tired himself out running so far and then lifting her out of a hole. He wouldn't let go of her. It was as if he needed to make sure she was still there. He was almost a moment too late. He found himself on the verge of crying out of relief and release of fear of losing her for good.

"Thank you," Rebecca sighed, "I thought I was dead for sure."

"Don't mention it," Billy stated, "I'm just keeping my word. I promised to protect you, remember?" Rebecca smiled and they both just lay there hugging each other. Rebecca rolled off of him when she was startled by the beep of her radio.

"Rebecca, do you copy? This is Enrico." Enrico said over the radio.

"This is Rebecca." She said into the radio as she and Billy stood up. Rebecca quickly surveyed the room. It was rustic and looked somewhat like a mine. Only one overhead lamp was in the room and there were long wooden crates, cardboard boxes, a typewriter, and cables off to the sides of the room. One of the long wooden crates had an ink ribbon on it.

"Have you managed to locate Coen yet?" Enrico asked. Rebecca paused and glanced at Billy. He looked back at her. His expression wasn't of building anger or anything, but of fear and acceptance of what was to come.

"Oh shit, she's gonna give me up, isn't she?" Billy thought, "She has to. She's a rookie. They always follow orders. So be it. I should have known I couldn't run. At least we know _one _of her friends is still alive. That's good."

What was Rebecca going to say? He couldn't really be guilty, not the way he's been acting. It wouldn't make sense. Sure she had her orders, but Billy just saved her. Would betraying him be any way to repay him for all the worry and protecting he's done for her? Of course not. But if she helped a convict like him, she wouldn't only lose her job, she'd probably go to jail too.

"Rebecca, answer me." Enrico ordered. Rebecca took a deep breath.

"No sir, I haven't found him yet," Rebecca answered, "I'll continue my search for him, over." Rebecca finished quickly with a smile before she put her radio away. Billy was shocked.

"R-Rebecca." Was all he managed to say.

"My first mission and I'm already disobeying orders," Rebecca shrugged but was still smiling. She felt so good about what she did, "So much for my great law enforcement career, but we probably won't li-" she was cut off when Billy quickly cupped her face. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

"Thanks." He said as he hugged and kissed her again. He wanted to kiss her on the lips so bad. He tried doing that at first, but he deliberately missed because he was afraid she'd hit him if he didn't miss. The most he could do right now was to just hold her, which still felt nice to him.

"Anytime," Rebecca answered as she hugged him back. She was surprised at what Billy just did, but she liked it nonetheless. He reacted so fast she didn't even notice that he was aiming for her lips at first. Rebecca then noticed the claw scratches on his arms, "You're hurt." She pulled away and took out her first aid spray.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about me. You on the other hand," Billy took her injured wrist and looked at the deep bite mark, the bite on her neck, and the claw marks on her shoulders, "You first. You need it more than I do."

"Okay," Rebecca sighed as they both sat on the crate. Billy took the spray and sprayed her on the injured spots. She was starting to get used to the pain of using it so she didn't scream, but only clenched her teeth and fists. She had to suppress the urge to cry out though since she couldn't stand the pain nearly as much as Liana could. When her wounds were healed, Billy gave her the herbs he found and she gave him the seven shotgun rounds she found along with one of her handgun ammo clips. Then she got up and took the remainder of the first aid spray and started spraying the remainder of the substance on Billy's cut arms, "Billy…you aren't the one that killed those 23 people…are you?"

"He can't be. He must be innocent." She thought. The convict was silent.

"You can tell me," Rebecca continued as she threw the can away, "Whatever the answer is, I won't pass judgment. I just need to know the truth." Billy sighed. He was afraid she would ask. Even if there were some advantages he could see in him telling the story, he hated thinking about the incident.

"It was around this time last year," Billy told her, "Our unit was ordered to Africa to intervene in a civil war. Our mission was to raid a guerilla hideout located deep in the jungle. You know what I mean by a guerilla right?"

"People who use hit-and-run tactics also known as guerilla warfare?"

"Heh, yeah you got it, Sherlock," Billy said with a smirk, "Anyways, the hideout was far away from our entry point. Some died from the heat, others were killed by the enemy. In the end, only four of us survived. Only…there was no guerilla hideout."

"What do you mean?" Rebecca asked with concern in her voice.

"The idiots in charge had us operating based on wrong information!" Billy said angrily, "But we couldn't just go home empty handed, oh no. Our leader ordered us to attack an innocent village!" Billy looked so pained and angry that Rebecca didn't know what to do next. Billy grew even worse when the memory started echoing in his head again.

Billy's leader and two other soldiers rounded up the villagers in the center of the village. Billy could never forget the looks on their faces: fear, confusion, and sorrow.

"Get rid of them! Kill them all!" the leader ordered. Billy gasped at what he heard. What the hell was going on? Have his comrades completely lost it? He ran up to his commander.

"Please, sir! Cease fire immediately!"

"Shut up!" the man screamed as he hit Billy in the head with the butt of his assault rifle. Billy fell to the ground and he felt himself going dizzy, "Do it!" the man's voice echoed. Billy gaped in horror when his comrades opened fire on the small crowd of 23. He somehow found the strength to get up and race towards his leader again. He felt like shooting the bastards for what they were doing, but he knew he wouldn't be able to do it.

"No! Don't! Stop!" Billy screamed his plea. He almost reached his leader when the lunatic suddenly turned around and shot him just below the collarbone.

Billy's old bullet scar stung. It felt like the bullet was still in him. He now wished he just raised his gun and shot the three psychos in the head. Rebecca just stared at him wide-eyed.

"Did you really execute those innocent people?"

"Shut up!" he yelled as he got up and faced the wall. Rebecca quickly backed up in fear, "It-it doesn't matter anymore! That was then, this is now!" Billy said half to himself, "You-you said you wouldn't judge me!" Billy picked up the ink ribbon and threw it at the wall, shattering it. Rebecca let out a startled yelp as he did this.

"They always judge me! They always do! Nobody ever keeps their word! No one ever listens!" Billy thought.

"I'm not judging you. But it _does_ matter," Rebecca said sympathetically as she walked up behind him, "Look, my people think you killed those MPs in the van, but I don't think you did," Rebecca grabbed the front of his shirt and made him face her, "It was those leeches right? When they attacked you were able to escape! Is-isn't that right? You didn't do any of it! You didn't kill anyone, right?" Rebecca seemed worried about him, but hopeful in his answer. Billy pushed her away and turned to the wall again.

"You don't get it! I have only two choices: either I return to the marines and serve out my sentence or keep running for as long as I can! That's all!" Billy finished while hitting the wall with his fist. Rebecca slowly walked up to his side and put a soothing hand on his shoulder. She felt him flinch and try to shake her off him, but she wouldn't let go.

"I thought you didn't care if you were executed," Billy's conscience told him, "And now you're upset about it?"

"It's because I…I…it's not right! It's the principle of the matter! I shouldn't take the fall for a crime I didn't commit! There's no justice for the victims in that!" Billy shot back in his mind.

"Mmhm. That makes sense," the voice agreed, "But that's not the real reason, is it? Now you don't want to die because you found something worth living for. Now you have friends, people who really care."

"…Yeah, I admit it. That's the truth. I'm not alone anymore. Now I have Akiko and…Rebecca," he thought, "I can't leave her. I won't!"

"You really like her, don't you? Ha! And you speak as if she's already yours! What makes you think she'd want someone like you, especially when you keep pushing her away when she's only trying to help!"

"I want to help, Billy. There has to be some way I can." She said as if on cue.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" Billy sighed to himself as he turned to Rebecca. He softly kissed her on the check, "Sorry Becks. And thanks. I know you're only trying to help me. You're a sweet girl." Before Rebecca could respond, they started hearing cries of fear and sorrow from above.

"Oh no! Akiko!" Billy remembered as he scrambled for Rebecca's radio and contacted her, "Akiko! You there? It's okay, girl! We're okay and we're right here! Can you hear where we are?"

"Billy?" the girl sobbed.

"You okay, babe? You safe?" Billy asked.

"Oh God, I did it! I'm sorry! Oh God! What have I done? I gotta get outta here!" she blubbered back mostly to herself.

"Akiko? Can you hear me? We're coming to get you, so just stay where you are and keep calm, okay?" Billy told. There was no answer. Rebecca took her radio back.

"Liana?" Rebecca called into it, "You still the-" She was cut off when the young bio-weapon jumped at an angle through the hole Rebecca fell through. When her feet contacted the wall, she pushed off horizontally, flipping herself over the second hole and landing in front of the two humans. She must have been able to pick out where their voices were coming from with her keen hearing. She dropped Billy's radio on the ground and leapt into his arms with tears streaming down her face. She broke down into crying again. Billy just held her, not knowing what to say. Her legs suddenly gave out and she started to fall. Billy held onto her and lowered her to the ground so they were on their knees. Rebecca sat next to her and held her too. She seemed so weak and brittle, like she would shatter into a thousand pieces if they weren't careful.

"Mommy! I'm sorry, Mommy!" she kept crying out as if she were standing right there in the room. It was as if Rebecca and Billy didn't exist to her even though she was holding onto them, and them to her. Her soft mezzo soprano voice was turning into a hoarse sound of grief. It broke her friends' hearts to hear the overwhelming despair she didn't deserve. Rebecca heard the sound of beads and looked behind Billy. In Liana's hands was a blood-soaked rosary. She was holding them so tight that they looked like they were about to crumble to dust in the grip of her deathly white knuckles.

"God, what have I done! Dad, I'm sorry! It's all my fault!" she sobbed.

"Liana, what happened?" Billy asked softly. After hearing the question, Liana only cried more. Billy just held her tight and slowly rocked her in attempt to calm her faster. Rebecca petted her thick head of hair and nearly started crying herself. It seemed like centuries before her constant crying faded away into nothing more than sniffles. Her voice was worn badly and was exhausted from her cries. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't get more than a whimper out.

"You calm enough to talk now?" Billy asked. She nodded into his chest and finally unearthed her face from it. She calmly rested her throbbing temple on his chest and hugged him, still holding onto the rosary.

"Can you tell us what you saw that made you faint, what happened to your parents?" Rebecca asked, resting her head on the girl's shoulder and rubbing her back. Liana let out a shaky sigh and closed her sore eyes.

"When I woke up that one night. At least I think it was night. Anyways, they were trying to break out of their chains as you know. But they looked so…so…strange. I could hardly recognize them by their sounds and actions and faces. The rusted chains of their's eventually snapped. I was excited that they broke free, but something didn't seem right about them. They seemed more like animals than anything else. They started staggering towards me. They had turned! They were zombies!" she whimpered, "My father grabbed my shoulders and I saw his eyes. They were so dead. I don't know what thoughts passed through my head, but I reacted on pure instinct. And when I pushed him my chains broke and he flew across the room and the back of his head slammed into the wall and split open. His skull split too and he was dead. I stood in shock at what I did and at my sudden burst of strength. Then when my mother was about to grab me from behind, I sensed her and immediately jumped and did a back flip over her. My feet landed on the ceiling and when I pushed off at her I drew my claws for the first time. They pierced my fingertips, but I didn't even feel it in my bloodthirsty rage! Then I…I…" she quivered, "I decapitated her! And I liked it! I held her head in my hands with her open eyes and gaping mouth and pure white flesh! Only then did I come back and see what I did! I was in complete shock. And while I was paralyzed like that, the scientists watching me came in and injected a sedative into my neck. Then it was over and I wasn't conscious until earlier tonight."

"Oh my God! That's terrible! You poor girl!" Rebecca commented.

"So, what you saw in your hands earlier was your mom's head?" Billy asked, shocked.

"Yes!" she sobbed, "I killed them and I enjoyed it! This is all my fault!"

"No, no it's not!" Billy told her, resting his head on hers, "You were only defending yourself. They would have killed you! You put them out of their misery. Nobody wants to become a drone and attack their own daughter. And it's not your fault you enjoyed killing them. Those damn scientists made you that way! It's all their fault, not yours!"

"He's right," Rebecca agreed, "You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness. Those evil scientists should. Besides, if you didn't become so powerful like you are, we would have died a long time ago. What you've become freed your parents and saved us. We don't care _what_ you are. We love you anyways for _who_ you are. You're our friend."

"Thank you," she sniffled as she let go of Billy and hugged Rebecca, "I love you guys too." Rebecca hugged back and the two humans smiles warmly.

"Where'd you get that rosary?" Rebecca asked.

"I found it under some chains in a puddle of blood in the dungeon. It was my mother's." she said as she pulled away and looked at it.

"So you're Catholic, huh?" Billy asked. Rebecca motioned if she could look at it and Liana gave it to her.

"Yeah. My dad must have been the only guy from Japan who was Catholic," she laughed, "My mom was French and her family had been strong Catholics for ages. She went everywhere with that thing. It's funny. I looked nothing like my parents, but I'm like a clone of my mom's mom, Joan."

"So you remember your family entirely now?" Billy asked.

"Almost. I remember my parents and everything, but something else is missing." Billy took the rosary, placed it around Liana's neck and pulled her hair through it.

"It's pretty. You look good with it." Billy complimented. Liana smiled and got up. The others followed suit.

"Thanks guys. You two are a real blessing. You're great friends…the only friends I have left."

"Only cuz you're just so awesome!" Billy exclaimed as he gave her a bear hug, "I love this girl!"

"Yey! I'm loved!" the girl yelled happily as she bear-hugged back.

"Group hug!" Rebecca said as she pounced on the two and hugged them.

"I love you all!" Billy and Rebecca yelled simultaneously, "Jinx! Aaa!"

"Wow! That was creepy!" Liana laughed with her friends.

"Okay, okay. We better get going again." Rebecca said as she took Billy's radio and clipped it to his pants.

"Uh-oh, is Rebecca trying to get in my pants?" Billy said with a teasing seductive voice. Liana laughed.

"Good God! Shut up, you obnoxious pervert!" Rebecca said while trying not the laugh. She walked to the door.

"But I'm a _loveable _obnoxious pervert." Billy smiled.

"Don't rub it in!" Rebecca admitted as she walked out.

"Ooo! Does Billy-willy have a crush?" the bio-weapon poked with a grin.

"Shut up!" Billy blushed and walked out. Liana giggled to herself.

"Match-maker, match-maker make me a match!" she sang as she skipped out happily.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! This is my present to you all! Love you!


	9. The Hunt

Sorry about this update taking…checks a year! WHAT THE CRAP! Dang, that's just crazy. I'm sorry! Junior year was nuts and chapter 10 was originally apart of chapter 9 but it got so long that I decided to split them into two. Enjoy! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.

Chapter 9

The Hunt

As Rebecca and Billy calmly walked down the small hall, Liana was skipping along behind them with a huge smile on her face that made her look like a hyper anime character. She was still humming the perky matchmaker song. Rebecca was ahead and looked around the room for anything useful. Billy stopped and turned to Liana who halted behind him.

"What's with you?" he asked her.

"I'm happy!" she said in a voice so perky it made Billy take a step away from her. Billy saw something in that beaming smile of hers.

"What are you planning?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nuuuuuuhhhthing." She droned, obviously lying but not trying to hide it.

"…You Asian people are weird." Billy said shaking his head and continuing after Rebecca.

"Crack-ass crackuh." Liana taunted back using "the old black guy" voice. Billy turned around with a look that could be described as annoyed, but trying not to laugh.

"Moron! You're a cracker too!" Billy shot back with a chuckle.

"I'm a half cracker, cracker sandwich! Get it right!"

"You're half a cracker sandwich with sushi!" Both of them started giggling by now.

"You're a cracker sandwich with…um…crack…in the…middle." Liana finished, trying to make a better comeback.

"Ha! You suck at comebacks! Crack-ass white trash rule! Owned biatch!"

"Hey! That's _The_ Biatch!"

"Behave, you two!" Rebecca called.

"Alright," Liana said as she walked passed Billy in Rebecca's direction, "Back to _bweezness_." ("Bweezness" is a bad way to pronounce business in case you didn't figure it out).

"Bweezness?" Billy asked.

"I've heard that before. Where is that from?" Billy thought. His eyes went wide and he smiled when he remembered.

"Strong Bad!" he cried out, making Liana turn around.

"Yes!" she replied.

"Trogdor!"

"Trogdor!" They both started pretending to rock hard on guitars.

"Shut up, people!" Rebecca called, but they paid no attention.

"And the dragon comes in the NNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-" They both sang obnoxiously loud. They hit a screaming high note on "night" but were cut off when Rebecca hit Billy in the forehead with a pebble.

"Ow!" Billy cried out, rubbing his head, "That wasn't nice!"

"I warned you, but you didn't listen. It's your own fault." Rebecca explained, walking over to them.

"Akiko, why didn't you tell me Rebecca was warning us?" Billy complained.

"Because I wanted to see what she would do to you." She answered with a smile.

"Why didn't you throw a rock at Miss Perky, here?" the convict asked Rebecca.

"Because, knowing her, she'd catch it or dodge it or something, making it very pointless."

"Squee!" Liana said in cheerful response. She then pretended to trip and ram into Billy. And just as she planned, it caused Billy to ram into Rebecca who was stopped by the wall behind her. This caused them to end up in a very awkward position and from Liana's perspective, it looked like they were making-out.

"Oops! Clumsy me!" Liana said with an innocent grin. She walked to the door by the room where Rebecca was found and opened it, "Come on, love-birds! Let's get moving!"

"Love-birds?" Rebecca thought. Her eyes went wide at the thought and the image that came with it. She didn't want to admit it, but the visual wasn't so bad.

"So _that's _what she's trying to do. I knew it!" Billy thought as he followed Liana with Rebecca right behind him. Of course it's not like he _didn't_ like what Liana was doing. After all, she _did_ get him in a very "awkward" position with Rebecca, "Thanks Akiko!"

"I _must_ get those two together! They want each other! I just know it!" Liana thought, "It is now my mission to pair them up!"

"I will succeed!" she said out loud.

"Doing what?" Rebecca asked, getting suspicious.

"Oh! Uh, nothing!" she said innocently as she waited for the two "love-birds" to get through the door.

When they closed the door behind them, Billy's eyes went wide and he got stiff as a board.

"Oh shit! Not again!" he cried out when he saw another giant arachnid.

"Want me to take care of this one?" Liana asked. Billy gulped.

"Face your fears. Face your fears," he thought in attempt to make himself do it on his own. He let himself nod slowly as he took out his shotgun. He kept staring at the spider at the foot of several stairs before him. It was just staring at him, not doing anything. It sat there as if daring him to come down and fight.

"You sure?" the B.O.W. asked. She could tell what he was thinking, "I can hear at least one more around the corner." Billy went pale.

"Oh hell no!" he squeaked, "I was just kidding! You go! Have fun! Eat them!"

"Sir yes, sir!" Liana smiled and saluted Billy. Rebecca just laughed. She grabbed Liana's arm before she jumped.

"Hey, have fun with this one. Show off! Make this interesting!"

"Now that's more like it!" she grinned as she cracked her knuckles, "Watch this!" Liana jumped off the stairs at the tarantula. It reared up on its hind legs and prepared its fangs for attack. She tackled the monster to the rough, rocky ground and started punching it in the mouth. Its fangs broke off and eventually she punched right through its mouth and out of the top of its head. It died before the blood splattered onto her face. She turned to her right and saw another tarantula. She grinned when she got an idea. She took the dead tarantula's two longest fangs out of its broken mouth, which were already punched from its jaws. She gripped the long fangs like daggers. Billy and Rebecca came down the stairs to watch what she would do. Liana did a front handspring at an angle and used the fangs as hands. As she landed on one of the fangs, she spun around in an upside-down front splits, kicking the giant spider continually in the eyes and slashing its legs with the other fang as she spun. After spinning three times, she completed her front handspring and thrust both fangs through its head. Liana left the fangs in the arachnid's head and wiped the blood off her face with her shirt.

"How was that?" she asked with a smile. Rebecca applauded excitedly.

"Well done! Well done!" she complimented in a random Scottish accent, "That was most entertaining! Very daring!" Billy gave Rebecca a weird look because of her randomness.

"Showoff." The Lieutenant said.

"You're just jealous that you can't even face one of these monsters, much less what I did, which is something I could still do when I was human." Liana shot back playfully.

"What the- You could do that spinny-thingy even when you were human?" Billy asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, but it was hard as hell though. It took forever until I was able to get it right. The first time I did it was by accident. Go figure. But now in this form it's easy!"

"Agreed," Rebecca chimed in, "You suck, Billy." Billy blushed with embarrassment.

"You people are mean." Billy pouted.

"Hai, hai." Liana said sarcastically.

"Alright, now that this is over, let's see what we got down here." Rebecca walked down the stairs and Billy followed.

"Why is everything so damn _creepy_ in this place!" Billy said while looking around the hall. The room had the same ominous, rocky texture as the other room did.

"Don't know, don't care," Liana answered, "And I'm gonna check things out in here," she pointed to a wooden door off to the side, "While you guys go in there." She pointed to a big metal double door at the end of the hall.

"Oh great, you make _us_ go in the big, creepy, sciency one." Billy said sarcastically.

"You can handle it." Liana smiled as she entered her door. Everyone in the room knew that Billy was just paranoid of running into more tarantulas without Fang around to help him. Sure he was perfectly capable of killing them on his own, more so with Rebecca by his side, but that phobia he had stole his confidence and courage. Liana left for two reasons: to give the humans some alone time to encourage them to get together and so Billy could conquer his arachnophobia once and for all, if there were even anymore of those beats in the next room waiting for him. The B.O.W. had faith in Billy. She knew he wouldn't be an easy kill.

Billy knew what she was trying to do and did appreciate it deep down, but he was still mad and scared.

"Sometimes I really hate that bitch." Billy growled.

"Oh come on," Rebecca protested, "Stop being such a damsel in distress."

"I have arachnophobia! Leave me alone!" Nothing hurts Billy's pride more than fearing something to an extreme that a little girl like Rebecca wasn't afraid of. He hated feeling weak, so he always kept his irrational fear of spiders a secret. And Rebecca couldn't be happier than to tease him about it.

"Now don't you worry m'lady," Rebecca grabbed Billy's hand, "I'll take good care of you." She winked as she readied her 9mm pistol.

"I hate you so much right now." Billy grumbled as Rebecca pulled him through the door.

Billy sighed with relief when he saw there was nothing he should shoot at inside. It was a room with a tall ceiling and a rocky texture just like the spider's hall behind them. Rebecca walked through the doorway off to her left while Billy ran up a flight of metal stairs to see if there was anything useful. Billy ended up in a weapons repair room with lockers and gun parts scattered on tables. He took seven shotgun rounds and a clip of handgun ammo off the tables.

"Looks all clear up here!" Billy called.

"Same down here!" Rebecca said back as she put six acid grenade rounds onto her bandoleer. There were empty bullet casings and bullet holes all over the room. Rebecca started getting worried. What was this place?

Off to the left of Billy was a bulletproof observation window overlooking the area Rebecca was in. It looked like a maze segmented off by metal barred gates sticking out of the floor. There was a control panel below the window. Billy got an idea.

"Hey Becks!" he called, "Don't move!"

"Why no-" she yelped when a barred gate shot down from the top of the doorway, blocking her exit and the barred gate to her right descended into the floor, "Tell me next time when you're gonna do that!" Billy held a button down on the panel.

"Hey, I figured out how to use the loud-speaker!" his voice echoed through the maze on the intercom.

"Are you even listening to me?" she huffed.

"Chill out, babe. I'm still trying to figure out how all this works."

"Mind letting me out?"

"I can't, sorry."

"What!" she looked up at the observation window at Billy.

"I don't know how and- Oo!" Billy saw something behind him, "I think I can fix that!" he ran away from the window and out of sight.

"Don't fix whatever you're looking at! Fix this!"

"I'm busy, Becks! Go figure it out yourself! Maybe there's a switch somewhere in the maze! Go climb over the gates and find out!" Billy yelled since he wasn't using the intercom. Rebecca growled in frustration.

"The jerk! He probably can fix it, but he just doesn't want to." Rebecca thought.

"I can't climb over those!" she yelled back.

"Yeah you can! Just try it!" Rebecca growled again and gave in. She didn't have any other choice. She walked up to the bars and looked at them, trying to figure out how to get up. After about a minute, she pushed her grenade launcher behind her and jumped as high as she could. She grabbed one of the bars with both hands and put her feet against two other bars. She tried to push up with her feet and pull with her arms but her arms still hurt from falling through the floor and holding onto the bar for so long. Also, she couldn't remember the last time she climbed with her older sister so she was rusty in this department. Her weakened muscles gave out and she slipped off the bars. She stretched her arms and rolled her shoulders a bit while she looked at the bars again, thinking of an easier way up. The huge pillar in the middle of the maze and the bars had a small gap in between them only a few inches wide. Rebecca got an idea and grabbed hold of the bars again. She jammed her toes in the gap and stood up. She balanced herself by putting her left hand on the pillar. She jammed one foot in front of the other until she climbed high enough where she could reach the top of the gate. She still worked her feet up through the gap until she was able to pull herself up and onto the top of the bar. She scooted over to the pillar and stood on top of it with a sigh of relief.

"Ha! I told you you could do it!" Billy's voice bragged on the intercom. Rebecca looked at the observation window and saw Billy waving an MP5 sub-machine gun around. He was watching her the whole time, "And guess what? I fixed this kick-ass hunk of junk! You can have it! It's got a strap and everything. I found three extra slips too! Aren't you happy?"

"Yeah, a lot of good it'll do me now, but sure! I'll take it when I get out!"

"Okie okie!" Billy said cheerfully, "See a button over there or something to let yourself out? Any herbs or something useful?" Rebecca looked over the edges of the pillar to see if she had to jump down or not. On the opposite side of the entrance were a red button on a wall and two holes in another wall blocked off by bars.

"Maybe." She said to herself as she hit the button with her grenade launcher and the bars covering the holes raised out of the way. She aimed her pistol and waited for a few seconds in case something was going to come out. Nothing happened so she jumped down, but kept her gun raised as a matter of caution. She looked into one of the cages and saw a small shiny object. She picked it up.

"A key," she thought, "It has a blue symbol…where have I seen this design?" she suddenly stood up in excitement, "The water motif door! Of course! Now we're getting somewhere!"

"Billy!" she called out loud, "We now have access to the water door!"

"And yippy skippy for that. Good job."

"You talking perky is kind of creepy!"

"Blame it on Akiko. It's contagious. Now, let's see if I can get you out of there." Billy started pressing buttons on the control panel. One of the bars lowered down behind Rebecca.

"Thanks for helping finally!"

"Hey, now I know what you're capable of! You rock climb?"

"Yeah, sometimes with my sis-" both the humans jumped when they heard a screech coming from one of the cages. Rebecca shot around and aimed her pistol. Out of the dark of the first cage (the only one she could see from where she was standing) came a beast Rebecca had never seen before. It was only Rebecca's height, but it was frightful nonetheless.

It had razor-sharp claws six inches long, a small head with beady red eyes and an enormous fanged mouth that took up half its face. Its neck was short and seemed to be fused to its spine so it couldn't turn its head much. The creature had tough legs with gargoyle-like feet with three clawed toes. It had a hunched-over, muscular body that was covered in green scales.

It screeched at Rebecca and ran at her. She raised her pistol and opened fire. The five rounds hit their mark, but seemed to have little to no effect and the monster was too close to use the grenade launcher on. Rebecca turned and ran as fast as she could away from the beast, but it caught up with her. It slashed at her back, knocking her over. The fabric of the vest tore but the metal underneath protected her. Rebecca tried to get up but the monster was too quick and kept scratching at her back. Eventually she was able to turn over and kick the thing in the face after it cut the straps off. The now useless vest fell to the floor as she tried to run back to the entrance. Just as Rebecca ran through the closest open gate, Billy pushed another button and the gate shot up out of the floor, blocking the monster's path and making it run into the bars. It fell onto its back and Rebecca let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks Billy! That was a close one!" Rebecca called to the window.

"No prob," Billy said on the intercom as he pressed another button to lower the next gate, "I'm just glad you're-Oh shit! Rebecca, watch out above you!" The cop looked up and saw the monster they thought they stopped jump off the pillar at Rebecca with its claw raised in a long strike. She screamed in fright and dodged the attack letting its sharp claws chip the cement floor. Rebecca sat up and saw the stupid creature was too busy composing itself and taunting her to attack. It was far away enough to use a grenade round on. She quickly pulled out her explosive, aimed, and was about to pull the trigger when she felt a sharp pain in her back and blood run down her shirt. This made her scream and pull the grenade launcher up as she fired. The grenade hit the wall, blowing a hole above the monster. The concrete debris knocked it out and buried it. Rebecca crawled away and turned around. Another one of the scaled beats had reached through the bars of a gate behind her and slashed her across the back. It sneered at her for a moment and jumped over the gate. It was too close to hit with a grenade. Rebecca saw no choice but to use her first gun. She tried hitting the thing in the head, but didn't do very well since she was trying to get up and run away again when it started moving. The bullets that hit its body didn't sink far because of its thick, tough, scaly flesh.

Meanwhile, Billy was frantically trying to open the entrance to the maze, but nothing worked. The switches and buttons either didn't work at all or just opened and closed the gates inside the maze.

"Come on! Come on!" Billy yelled. He heard more gunshots, screeches, and screams inside the maze, "Fuck! Work already before they kill her!"

"Billy! Open the door!" Rebecca screamed as she dodged another attack on the opposite side of the entrance.

"I'm trying! It won't open!" Billy looked up and saw the monster had tackled Rebecca and was trying to bite her. Her gun was empty and behind the scaled beast. Back by the entrance, the other monster had awakened and hurried to help its comrade, "Look out! The other one's coming!"

"Shit." Rebecca murmured as she kicked the monster off of her. She stood up to see she was cornered by the two and her gun was out of reach. They both lunged for her. Rebecca dodged one of them but the other nearly severed her arm at the shoulder. She screamed and stumbled as she held her now-useless arm. She tried to run away to an open gate, but the abominations blocked her way and started carving up her stomach and her legs.

"Rebecca! No!" Billy screamed while pounding on the glass. Rebecca was too weak and in pain to fight or run, so she was just continually sliced up against the wall. Billy stared in horror at this sight. There was nothing he could do. Even if he could open the entrance for her, there was no way she could escape to it. He couldn't run down to the entrance and shoot the monsters because the pillar was in the way and he couldn't help from where he was standing because of the bulletproof glass. She was dying and there was nothing Billy could do to stop it.

Rebecca felt herself losing consciousness from loss of blood and her eyesight blurred. She couldn't move and all she could do was watch their claws pierce her flesh over and over. She heard someone calling her name and something ramming into the entrance gate. She knew there was no hope left and just wanted the pain to end. She surrendered, held her breath, and closed her eyes, awaiting the final strike. She heard two strikes, but felt nothing. She let out her last breath and waited to see the light that everyone has heard about when you die and start to go to heaven. She saw nothing, so she opened her eyes. When she did, she saw the two hunters standing up and perfectly still. Her blood dripped from their claws and covered the floor. The monsters slowly toppled over like trees and twitched on the floor, their severed heads rolling off their necks and away from their blood-drenched bodies. Behind them was a third pair of bloody claws. They were long and thin, but incredibly sharp. The figure that possessed them was crouched on the floor, like a freeze-frame of a kill position. The claws retracted and the figure stood up.

"Damn hunters," Liana grumbled as she kneeled next to Rebecca, "They nearly killed you."

"Rebecca!" Billy screamed as he jumped off the pillar and ran to her side, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry. If I didn't mess around in the first place and close the entrance you'd be okay!" He put pressure on the huge wound on her stomach to try to stop the bleeding.

"Damn it, she's lost a lot of blood," Liana said, trying to stay calm, "I don't have any herbs on me. She has some in her medpack, right?" Billy pulled Rebecca off the wall and held her close (being gentle with her nearly severed arm) so Liana could reach Rebecca's medpack. She pulled out two green herbs, "Thank God. I don't have to hunt for something." The blood pool beneath Rebecca was still growing.

"Hey Lee?" Billy said sounding like he was about to panic, "I don't think she's gonna last long enough to grind those up. The bleeding won't stop!"

"Then let's just hope it'll still work when its shredded," she said as she tore blank page out of the small book she had in her pocket and laid the herbs on the piece of paper, "Hang in there, Rebecca. You gotta stay awake, okay? Come on. Talk to me, sing a song or something." Billy gently stroked Rebecca's hair and her face to try to keep her awake and made her focus on him. It didn't really do anything because she was numb with bad vision.

"O…okay," Rebecca felt herself drifting away. She took a gasp of air and tried to sing something. She unintentionally hyperventilated to keep the oxygen level in her blood up. The song came out as whispers and cracks, "So I wait…through the night…cuz tomorrow you may find…that you will…need me…again…for some tender…love and …care…" Rebecca fell silent and her eyes started to close.

"Becks? Come on, don't give up!" Billy shook her a little, "Stay awake. Keep singing."

"Hang on just a little longer. I'm almost there." Liana told her as she continued slashing up the herbs with her claws.

"Please God, don't let her die," Liana prayed in her head, "We still need her here. Help me heal her. I need a purpose in this form. I couldn't save my parents, so I have to save these two. Please don't let Rebecca die!"

Rebecca wanted to speak, to give some words of encouragement to the two who still had to survive this hellhole, or to at least say goodbye and that she appreciated them, but she couldn't. She couldn't move, couldn't talk, and couldn't keep her eyes open. She couldn't hold on any longer. Her heart was beating rapidly, trying to pump more blood into her body, but she only bled out more, so less oxygen was going to her brain because less blood was being pumped to it. Her brain was shutting down and she probably would have panicked if she could, but all she could do was feel tired and slip away.

"Rebecca?" Billy shook her again. She didn't respond, "Come on, doll-face! Don't do this to me! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," Liana murmured as she quickly crossed herself, "Wake her." She picked up the small shreds and sprinkled them across all her wounds on her abdomen and back.

"It's working!" Billy said with a hopeful voice as the pieces started to sizzle and close the wounds, "Give me some!" Billy took a pinch of the herbs and sprinkled them across severely injured shoulder.

"Here, you finish up." Liana gave him the rest of the herbs as she pulled a syringe out of her pocket. It was filled with a blue liquid.

"What is that?" Billy asked as he treated the rest of her wounds.

"A chemical that makes the body produce blood faster, so she won't die from lack of blood. I found it like ten minutes ago." She informed as she injected it into Rebecca's arm.

"Why didn't you use it sooner!" Billy shouted angrily.

"Because she'd keep bleeding out all the new blood and the chemical only works temporarily, so it wouldn't do any good if we didn't close the wounds first!" she shouted back.

"Oh…right…sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Liana sighed as she checked Rebecca's vital signs, "She's evening out. She'll be okay. She should wake up in a few minutes."

"Yeah and all thanks to you." Billy said as he gave her a quick hug.

"Hey is there a locker up there?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Be right back," Liana jumped over the pillar and out the entrance she knocked down. She ran upstairs and collapsed on her knees. That was the longest few minutes she had ever experienced, at least that she could remember, and a lot of stress had built up. She really thought Rebecca wouldn't make it. She was able to control her want to panic and contained her stress and now she just let it out in tears and quiet sobs for about a minute. Then she smiled with relief that everything was okay again. She crossed herself once more, "Thank you," she whispered as she kissed the cross on her rosary. Then she stood up and found the locker. She pulled a small key out of her pocket and used it. Inside she found a metal suitcase and two pistol holsters. The case needed a code to open, so she was about to try to break it open when she saw the numbers "385" carved into the bottom of the case. She tried the combination and it worked, "How retarded is that! What's the point of having the lock then?" Inside the case were some gun parts. One of which looked like a scope. Liana punched the window a few times until she made a hole, "Hey Billy, how's Rebecca doing?" she said through the hole.

"She's still asleep," Billy answered as he held her resting body, "Want me to wake her up?"

"No, let her sleep for now. You left your sub-machine gun, shotgun, ammo, and pistol up here and I found some stuff that I don't know how to use. Wanna see?"

"Sure, bring it all down. You didn't have to kill the window, you know. There is an intercom back there."

"Oh…whatever." Liana shrugged as she grabbed the weapons and accessories and traveled back to her friends.

"The hunters are still twitching. That's just creepy." Billy commented.

"Yeah, they're such spazes. Why'd you take your shotgun off anyways?"

"It was kind of bugging me I guess, so I took it off when I started messing with that MP5." Billy said pointing to the submachine gun.

"Huh, whatever. Here's the stuff." She dropped everything next to him.

"What's in the case?"

"Some gun parts," she said as she opened the case and let Billy look, "Know what to do with em?"

"Yeah! Rebecca's gonna like this! Here, take her for a sec." He gently passed her to Liana who let her friend rest her head on her lap. Billy loaded Rebecca's pistol with one of the clips in her pocket and messed with the gun parts from the case until his friend's gun had a scope on it. He put it in one of the holsters and clipped it to Rebecca's pants.

"Why doesn't she already have one?" Liana asked, "She is a cop isn't she?"

"Yeah, that's pretty weird. Oh well. Doesn't matter, she's got one now." Billy sat back to put his gun in the other holster and accidentally leaned on one of the decapitated hunters. Its still active nerves reacted to the touch with a quick, uncoordinated, instinctive attack. Like a severed rattlesnake head, it struck and left five long, deep claw marks streaking across his back and shoulder blade. Billy let out a surprised, pained cry and crawled away from it. Liana quickly jumped up and kicked the body away.

"I don't know how long these are gonna be active so let's move to a safer place." Liana suggested.

"Heard that." Billy said through gritted teeth as he stood up, holstered his gun and clipped it to his pants.

"Here, get on my back. I'll help you over. I don't want you making that wound of yours any worse."

"Yeah, okay. Don't do anything too fancy." He told her as he climbed on her back.

"Heh, don't worry. I'll go easy on you. Just tuck your legs so they don't drag or anything. You're still a good five inches taller than me." Billy obeyed and Liana jumped over the pillar and landed at the entrance. Billy got off his friend and let her jump back over. Billy looked down and saw a stone tablet that had Latin writings on the back and on the front it had a carving of a knight with the word "Unity" etched into it.

"What's this 'Unity' thing?" Billy asked.

"There are three tablets: obedience, discipline, and unity. I read about where to use them. It's in the observatory through the knight door in the centipede room. I think it lowers the observatory down so we can use the bridge below."

"Is that around the area you woke up?"

"Yeah."

"Doesn't that mean we can take a shortcut, via you?"

"True, but I want to investigate more about what's going on, don't you?"

"Yeah and since Rebecca's the cop, I bet she'd want to know too." A moment later, Liana jumped back over with Rebecca in her arms, the MP5 and shotgun over her shoulders, and its extra ammo in her pocket.

"So where we gonna go?" Billy asked.

"Where I went when you guys came in here." She answered as she led them to the safer room.

Has Rebecca lost her vest before this? I can't remember. Hey, this is the first time Billy said "fuck". Interesting…may many more F-bombs be dropped! Ha ha! I'll let you guys chew this one over for a week and then I'll post Chapter 10: Scars! Yey! Review!


	10. Scars

Happy New Year everybody! The year of 2006 already! OO Luis from Resident Evil 4 pops up Luis: Well have a great year and hopefully capitulo once (chapter 11 if you don't know Spanish) will be up before 2007 this time!

Chapter 10

**Scars **

Rebecca heard an echoing voice in a distance calling her name. She heard another sound in the background, but she couldn't tell what it was. The ground she was laying on felt hard and cold. The sounds became louder and clearer as she woke up more. The sound in the background was rushing water. Was it a waterfall? Where was she? And that voice…she knew it. It was Liana. Did that mean Rebecca was still on Earth? Liana couldn't have been killed. She was too strong. She suddenly felt cold water spray on her face and she awoke fully with a start. She sat up fast and rubbed her eyes. She looked to where the water came from and saw Billy spraying her in the face with water from a drain. He used his shirt to shoot the water by pressing it up against the far side of the drain.

"Nice to see you awake again, Rebecca." Billy greeted with a smile.

"Yeah. Hi," she answered while drying her face with her shirt, "Why aren't you wearing your shirt?" Rebecca caught herself staring at his bare chest and abs. She certainly loved what she saw. He had no hair on his chest and stomach and his muscles were very well defined and looked rock-hard.

"For one thing, I was washing the blood out of it and for another," he turned around to show her the wounds from the dead hunter, "I was hoping you'd help me out," Billy turned back around and saw Rebecca was till staring at him and near to drooling, "What's the matter? Want me to put my shirt back on?"

"No!" she blurted and then clasped her hand over her mouth after she realized what she just said. Billy grinned when she went into a huge blush. She noticed he had a pretty smile too, "I mean, um, keep it off so I can fix you up."

"Alright then. Where do you want me?"

"Um," Rebecca looked around the room. To her right was the exit and to her left was the drain that shot water down into nothingness. In front of her on the other side of the room were two wooden crates. It was a fairly small room with crumbling gray bricks and a couple lights in the corners of the ceiling. All of their equipment and weapons were piled in a corner of the room, "How about if we sit on the crates over there?"

"Whatever you say, doc," Billy answered as he followed orders. They both sat down on one of the crates and Rebecca started pulling things out of her medpack.

"So where is this place and where's Liana? I heard her."

"This is the room she went into when we split up. She went outside to take a leak a while before I splashed you."

"Okay, that's a lovely image." Rebecca chuckled.

"I bet it is." Liana said as she walked back in.

"What took you so long?" Billy asked as he turned his head to look at Liana.

"I had to go number two too. Remember that I haven't gone to the bathroom for over a month." She replied. Billy went bug-eyed when he saw what was behind her.

"And what the hell is that on your ass!"

"And this," she turned around to show a tail as long as her attached to her at the top of her butt that had ripped a hole in her shorts. It was a green, scaly prehensile tail with a triangle spike at the end. Basically, her tail looked that of Nightcrawler's from "X-Men" except green instead of blue, "This is my new accessory."

"I heard you scream or something a while ago. What was that about?" Billy asked.

"Do you have any idea how much it hurts to have this thing grow all of the sudden while you're trying to take a dump?"

"Fair enough."

"This is gonna sting, okay?" Rebecca warned Billy as she readied the disinfectant.

"Good morning, officer." Liana greeted as she washed her hands in the clean water spouting from the pipe.

"Hey Liana. Nice tail." She greeted back as she started applying the disinfectant to Billy's gashes. He let out a yelp and tried to stay still and think about something else. He stayed quiet and concentrated on something more pleasant as Liana filled Rebecca in on what happened after she passed out. The first thing that popped into Billy's head was the lingering desire to kiss Rebecca. Every physical attribute she had was beautiful. Not only that, she was also very intelligent and strong. And her heart…she was such a sweet girl.

"Maybe she does like me," he thought, "She was eyeing me pretty good back there. Still…I don't know. Well at least she lets me hold her. That's better than nothing."

"Billy?" Rebecca tapped him.

"What?"

"I don't have any anesthetic to numb the gashes, so you're just gonna have to be brave while I stitch these up, ok? I'll be as gentle as I can."

"Okay," Billy breathed, "Go for it."

"Billy, I put that tablet where it needed to go. Oh, and I found something I think you guys might want to listen to." Liana stated as she pulled a small book out of her pocket.

"Let's hear it." Rebecca told her as she started stitching the first gash.

"It's a management trainee's diary. It says,

'What is it that Director Marcus is researching all the time? And what's with his weird interest in leeches? Interest? Seems more like love at times…Rumor has it that there's something dangerous about those leeches. It is true that when Dennis just touched one he got ill with a fever.

Again today…There were those horrible moans…beyond that door. "Let sleeping dogs…" No way I'll go near them. Even if the Director tells me, I no want to end up like Dennis. That poor bastard. Scratching and scratching. Makes me itch jost watching him. Must maybe go IF can but hwo? Dennis gone. I go. Hungry Help Mom.' "

"I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard." Billy commented.

"Yeah. He was turning into a zombie and nobody cared. And this Marcus guy is getting creepier and creepier. I wonder why Billy and I didn't have symptoms like that when we were infected." Rebecca added.

"Well the virus is really unstable, so it's no surprise that his reaction was different from normal," Liana explained. It was silent for a few minutes, "So what's your family like, Rebecca? Any siblings?"

"Yeah," Rebecca smiled, "Two sisters. One's older, one's younger."

"So you're the middle child, huh? What are their ages?"

"My older sister, Megan, is twenty and my younger sister, Kiley, is sixteen."

"Wait, how old are you then?" Billy asked through a wince.

"Eighteen."

"Eighteen!" Liana and Billy exclaimed in surprise.

"How are you in S.T.A.R.S., then? Don't you have to be really experienced in the police department to join S.T.A.R.S.?"

"Not necessarily, I guess," Rebecca explained, "Having a Harvard degree in medicine and chemistry and having experience as a nurse looks good on a resume."

"Whoa, so you're eighteen and just graduated from Harvard right here in Raccoon City?" Liana asked.

"Yup."

"Damn, Einstein, you're crazy," Billy commented, "Since you're such a genius, why didn't you go into being a scientist instead of a medic for S.T.A.R.S.? It can't pay that much."

"It doesn't, but I wanted to try something new and exciting. I always thought it would be cool to be a cop, so when I heard that S.T.A.R.S. needed a medic I went for it. But I never thought this job would get _this_ exciting, especially on the first day."

"Yeah, that's gotta spoil your enthusiasm for the job, huh?" Liana asked.

"Got that right." Rebecca sighed.

"Hey, Akiko?" Billy asked, "Are Rebecca and I okay? I mean, since we've been hit by the monsters again, are we infected?"

"Nah, you're fine," Liana reassured, "You already have the anti-virus in you so you have the antibodies to combat it now every time it enters your system, at least this type of virus that's being tested here. If you're hit with a different type of T-Virus, the antibodies you have won't work against it. That's the way viruses work."

"Well let's just hope we don't run into any new types without a different anti-virus then." Rebecca commented.

"Uh-huh." Billy said worriedly.

"Don't worry, man. I can tell if a monster has a different type. So far all of these creeps here are infected with the same thing so you don't have to fret about getting sick again." Liana assured.

"Good. Thanks." Billy answered.

"No prob, buddy. So what are your sisters like, Rebecca?"

"They're great. We have our differences, but we still adore each other."

"Awesome, like what?"

"Well Megan is a total outdoors freak. She's done the PCT, the JMT, she's climbed Denali and the face of Half Dome and she's just crazy. She does it all."

"And what's all that mean?" Billy asked.

"The PCT is the Pacific Crest Trail which is a hike from Mexico to Canada. The JMT is the John Muir Trail, which is over 200 miles long through the Sierras in California and Denali is the tallest mountain in North America. Its elevation is over 20,000 feet. And Half Dome is in Yosemite National Park in California. It's a really long rock climb that takes days to do."

"Damn. You've got one wild sister. I gotta meet her!" Billy said enthusiastically.

"I think she's a girl that is the definition of extreme." Liana said with wide eyes.

"Ha ha! Yeah. I'm such a wimp compared to her," Rebecca went on, "I like doing day-hikes to a nice lunch spot and she likes backpacking for a month and eating spam. I like climbing in the day and then sleeping in a tent in a campground while she likes to stay on the wall for a week. And there is no way in hell I'm going mountaineering!"

"Yeah, backpacking's fun I bet as long as you don't have eighty pounds of guns and ammo on your back." Billy added.

"Yeah. But Megan and I share everything else in common, wait I forgot one. I'm straight and she's not."

"Hell yeah! When can I meet her?" Billy said ecstatically. Rebecca started laughing, "What? Lesbianness is hot, man! They kick ass!"

"Well I'm not into the porno aspect like you, but I think homosexual couples are adorable." Rebecca stated.

"Ewwwww…" Liana gagged.

"What, are you a homophobe?" Rebecca asked.

"No no no," she answered, "I'm not one of those prejudiced morons who's like 'God hates fags and they all go to hell'. That's ridiculous. I just don't like what they do because it's a sin and just plain nasty. Still, this country isn't a theocracy so gay marriage and all that should be legal."

"Right on." Billy and Rebecca agreed.

"So you like lesbians, huh?" Rebecca asked Billy, "What about gays?"

"My best friend was gay," he answered, "Dave…he was in my unit in the Marines. When I first met him I was uncomfortable around him, but that changed fast. He was a really cool guy, a true friend, and an awesome soldier. I never liked picturing him and some dude getting in on though."

"Awesome," Rebecca commented, "Wait, he was in Africa with you? What happened to him?" Billy was silent for a moment.

"He's dead," he informed, "Killed in a firefight."

"Dang, that sucks. I'm so sorry to hear that." Liana came over and hugged Billy softly as to not disturb Rebecca's stitching.

"It must have been awful to lose your best friend like that." the medic stroked Billy's shoulder to show her sympathy.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"He never would have let that massacre happen," Billy thought, "He would have stopped it if he made it to that point. He was always the smarter one."

"So what is your younger sister like, Becks?" he asked. Billy was tired of thinking about the mission to Africa and just wanted to change the subject and think about something else. Rebecca started stitching again.

"Kiley is not outdoorsy at all. She won't hike anywhere, she doesn't like climbing or anything. The only outdoorsy things she likes to do is sled and snowboard and stuff like that where its still civilized and things. But in Sitka you have to hike up a mountain to go boarding, so she travels outs of town to a friend's house where there are official slopes and stuff."

"Complete opposite of Megan." Liana stated.

"Yup. But she's still cool. I love her to death. You'd like her Billy. She's straight, but her mind towards homos is like yours."

"Sweet!" Billy cheered.

"What do your parents think about your sister being a lesbian?" Liana asked.

"Well, they're not 'excited' about it like me and my sisters, but they accept it. If what she's doing makes her happy, then they're cool with it as long as she's not some homicidal crack-whore or something."

"Well that's good." Liana commented.

"Acceptance," Billy thought, "Tom…Lauren…why-"

"Ow!" Billy's own voice cut him off when Rebecca tugged a little too hard on one of the stitches.

"Oh! Sorry!" Rebecca apologized, "Didn't mean to be too rough."

"Don't worry about it."

"Anyways, one thing Megan, Kiley, and I have in common is our love of dance."

"Cool. So what kind of dances do you do?" Liana asked.

"Pretty much everything. My favorite dance to do is Irish, Megan's is Tlingit, and Kiley's is hip-hop."

"Tlingit? That's something you don't hear every day." Billy responded.

"Yeah. My dad's an Alaskan Native (a Tlingit) and my mom's Irish."

"That's awesome! I've always been fascinated by Indians. So who looks like who?" Liana asked while being entertained by Billy's wounds being stitched up.

"Well my dad, of course, has the darker skin and eyes and black hair like a typical Native American. He's not pretty and is a chub-ball, but likes the outdoors. Megan inherited the most from him. She looks like an Alaskan Native and isn't very attractive, but she is far from being even slightly fat. She's one of those people that look hot only when they're dancing or just doing their thing, which is climbing in her case. Kiley on the other hand is always attractive, but looks like Dad too. Looks-wise it's impossible to tell my sisters are related to me since I look like mom. She's a very beautiful woman with my eyes and long, curly, fire-red hair."

"Cool. You really inherited your mom's good looks." Billy complimented. Rebecca's face flushed again.

"Thanks."

"So what do your parents do?" Liana questioned.

"My mom is the lead-singer in an Irish band called Altan. Great Irish music. And my dad is big in the fishing business so we're pretty rich."

"Wow, lucky you!" Liana explained, "So do they live in this huge mansion and stuff?"

"Ha ha! I wouldn't call it a mansion, but it is a fairly big house."

"Yeah? What's it like?" Billy asked.

"It's a three-story house with high ceilings on a tiny island just off Sitka Harbor. It has a dock out front with a couple boats and kayaks," Rebecca smiled as she reminisced about her childhood, "It was pretty cool being a kid there. A trip anywhere would mean an exciting boat ride. The house looks pretty cool. It's built like a giant cabin. The dock leads up to the second floor, which is the main floor. The third is the floor with all the bedrooms. The first floor is the party room/rehearsal room. It has a stage and everything, not a very big one but a stage nonetheless."

"Damn that's crazy," Billy commented with a hint of sorrow and envy in his voice, "You're a lucky girl you know that?"

"Yeah, I sure am," Rebecca apparently didn't pick up on Billy's tone, "I couldn't ask for a more loving and cool family to be in. You know what's also cool? My family has Tlingit names. My dad, Jim Chambers, is of the Eagle-Wolf Clan. His name is Edensaw, which means 'Glacier'. My mom, Fiona Ardal Chambers, was adopted into the Raven-Bear Clan when she married my dad and her name is X'an Gugan, which means 'Red Sun'. By Tlingit tradition, the children take the mother's clan, so my sisters and I are Raven-Bear. My name is **Dleit T'aaw, which means 'White Feather'. Kiley's name is **Koots'eix, which means 'Bear Dancing' and Megan is Yaa Gooch, which means 'Traveling Wolf'."

"Your family sounds so cool!" Liana exclaimed.

"Yeah, my dad taught me all about nature, the outdoors, Tlingit culture and songs and stuff while my mom taught me how to dance and sing. She taught me how to play a little bit of piano too."

"That's great. My dad taught me all about hand-to-hand combat and swords. The fighting style of the ninja had been passed down my dad's family for hundreds of years," Liana explained, "He owned a small dojo and taught martial arts. He was a tough sensei, but a great one. Very rarely could I defeat him when we sparred. He sometimes scolded me for being to flippy-floppy when I fight and he was probably right to say it, but I can't help it that much since I've been a gymnastics freak since I was four. I was a gymnastics CIF champion with my school a couple months ago! Man, I was so excited when we won! My mom was practically on the ceiling of the gym and my dad was just sitting there laughing his ass off watching my mom" Liana chuckled.

"She was that funny, huh?" said Billy, "What did she look like?" Rebecca halted her stitching so she could watch without hurting Billy.

"I kid you not. She looked just like this," Liana cleared her throat and then started cheering and screaming and dancing and jumping around like an ADHD kid on crack. Billy started cracking up and Rebecca fell over giggling, "Now imagine a middle-age chub-woman doing it in the stands in a big crowd!" They all laughed even harder when they got that image in their head.

"Careful, Billy! You don't want to burst the stitches!" Rebecca laughed. Billy tried to calm himself before he injured himself anymore than he already had. It took a while, but eventually everyone ran out of giggles.

"Man, my mom was always a crack-up," Liana continued, "She was always able to make people laugh. She was a great stand-up comedian too. And she had the most phenomenal singing voice. Those are the two reasons why my dad felt attracted to her in the first place. And also why her student loved her."

"She was a teacher, huh? What did she teach?" Rebecca asked.

"She was the choir teacher at Raccoon High. I was one of her best students when I was in high school, mainly because she had been teaching me to sing since forever ago."

"That's really cool. So what type of weapons did your dad teach you to use?" Rebecca asked with fascinated curiosity.

"Well, the typical ninja sword for starters. It's basically a samurai sword, but smaller. Then he moved me onto two smaller swords, which were more like the size of bayonettes. Those were my weapons of choice because with their small size and light weight I was faster and more effective. My secondary weapon was the standard kunai, which are small throwing knives about the shape of long diamonds. My dad always made me carry kunai with me when I went into the city since it isn't the safest place in the world of course. I only had to use it once when my best friend, Emily, and I took a short-cut through an alley and a couple guys tried to mug us or kill us or rape us or something. I guess that's what we get for liking form-fitting stuff. It's easier to move in than this baggy guy crap where the crotch is halfway down my thighs." Liana motioned to her clothes.

"You don't like bagginess? I like it. If you hate it why are you wearing it?" Billy asked.

"Because it was the smallest, non-gut covered thing I could find. And you should talk. You're wearing tight pants right now."

"Yeah I know, but I like bagginess too! I'm not always Mr. Sexy Pants."

"Luckily you're wearing them now in this place, right Rebecca?" Liana looked up at the cop with a mischievous smile.

"Uh, yeah," Rebecca blushed while looking at Billy's pants and mostly his butt. He _did_ have a pretty nice ass, which was easy to see with his pants tightened around it, "They're very…useful in this situation…yup…nice…" Rebecca then snapped herself out of her girlish dreams and kept stitching. Billy turned to Liana.

"Was she just checking out my ass?" Billy mouthed. Liana nodded with a wink and a grin. Billy did a quick, quiet cheer to himself. His mood brightened a little.

"I bet those guys that tried to attack you and Emily went down before they knew what hit them." Billy smiled.

"Yeah…that was my very first kill," Liana trailed off, "It happened so fast, I didn't even think. The second I saw those guys charging us with switchblades drawn I pulled the kunai out of my pants and tossed them. Ninjas are spies so they are trained to go for quick kills especially when they have kunai with them. So those two got one dagger each in the head. It felt so weird to kill someone. I mean I was glad I did it of course to protect me and Emily, but at the same time I felt guilty. I kept thinking maybe I should have used hand-to-hand combat to defeat them but keep them alive. But at the same time they were trying to attack us so they deserved it. On the other hand, I don't know their back-stories. I don't know if they were hobos desperate for money or something since I didn't really see their condition or anything. All I saw was their faces and blades. It was a hit-and-run. Of course, after we got home we called the cops. It was self-defense so I didn't get in trouble or anything, which was nice."

"Wow, that's crazy," Rebecca commented, "How old were you?"

"It was about three years ago, so I was fourteen."

"Killing does feel pretty weird, but man, I'm sorry. That's gotta be tough on a kid." Billy sympathized.

"It's okay, thanks. Better them than me though as mean as that may sound. I felt no remorse when I fought back and killed some of Umbrella's guards when I was being kidnapped while wandering around the woods by the mansion. My house was pretty much at the entrance of the forest so this whole place was kind of like my backyard. That's why my family and I were caught so easily."

"Wow that sucks," Rebecca commented, "Say do you dance at all, Liana?"

"Me?" she laughed, "Hell no! I can't dance to save my life…well except sword dance."

"Well of course you can do that Ms. Ninja Woman," Rebecca smiled, "Which is a really cool dance to watch by the way. There has to be something else though."

"Well, I can do techno…sort of. Someone, I can't remember who, got me to do airbands once and they just told me to do a sword dance with out weapons and put more of a bounce or something into it."

"How'd it work?" Rebecca asked.

"Not bad actually. It looked pretty good."

"Great. So you _can _techno dance." Rebecca encouraged.

"Yeah, but only when it's a rehearsed routine. I can't just make it up as I go and make it look really good like I can when I sword dance."

"Fair enough," Rebecca shrugged, "Do you play any instruments?"

"Now that I think about it, yeah I do. I play bass guitar."

"That's fun." Rebecca smiled.

"What about you? Anything besides piano?" Liana asked.

"Yeah, I can play the fiddle." Rebecca replied.

"Oo! The fiddle! That has to be a fun instrument to play." Liana bounced.

"Yeah, it is. So what's your house like?"

"Hmm…it's a small one story house just big enough for a small family," Liana said as images came back, "It looked really cool though with the wooden Japanese style it has. It had a porch that surrounds the whole house and those cool sliding doors. The driveway/road to my house is unpaved and surrounded by grass and wild flowers and pine trees. It's such a nice getaway from the urbanness of the city. The suburbs are nice too, but you can't get a whole forest as a backyard there with plenty of space to train. Behind our house, not far off, is this really pretty river that-" Liana's smile faded when she remembered someone.

A handsome smiling face. It was an Asian boy in his late teens. He held a wooden ninja sword along with a black mask in his hand and wore a black ninja uniform. He was standing at the snow-draped bank of the river and was chuckling to himself at a young teenage girl who, by the looks of it, was treading water in the middle of the ice-cold river. She had a black mask on that only showed her eyes. She had two small wooden ninja swords in her hands and was also dressed as a ninja. She was stuttering and frantically swam to the white bank.

"That's no way the fight," he said with a smile, "Getting pushed in so easily. You could at least toss one of your swords at me and try to take me down with you," His voice was so familiar. The girl removed her balaclava-like mask. Her long raven-black hair flowed down to her knees. Her bangs were short enough to show her eyebrows and portions of her hair next to her bangs were a little passed her shoulders. It was Liana two years ago when she was fifteen. She was on her hands and knees on the riverbank and threw one of her swords at him. He caught it with ease and laughed again, "You'll have to do better than that." Now she remembered where she heard the voice! It was the first voice she heard by the Marcus painting.

"Suguru, you are such a jerk!" she said angrily through chattering teeth.

"Yeah, yeah I'm big, bad Sugi," he said sarcastically as she slowly stood up and walked face-to-face with him. He was only 5'7" but she was still tiny in comparison since she was only five feet tall, "But it's all in the name of learning." He handed her weapon back to her.

"Yeah whatever. I don't care." She huffed as she shivered uncontrollably.

"You're just saying that because you're cold," he put an arm around her shoulders, "Come on sis, let's get inside before you catch a cold." Sis? So Suguru is her older brother?

"Yeah, let's." she grabbed Suguru's sword and they started walking.

"Are you still mad?" Liana was silent, "Come on, let's see a smile. You know I wouldn't have pushed you in if the house wasn't nearby, right beautiful?" she was still quiet, "Aw my pretty angel-hair girl won't smile for me? Now I'm hurt!" he made a totally fake depressed face that looked so weird Liana couldn't help but laugh, "There we go!" Suguru picked her up like she weighed nothing and spun around making her giggle with delight. He smiled and kept carrying her, "Tell you what. When we get home, how about if you take a long hot shower while I make us some hot chocolate with marshmallows. And when you come out I'll put on 'Sailor Moon' while we wait for Mom and Dad to come home. How'd that sound?"

"Sounds nice," Liana grinned, "But I still get my revenge!" She put her freezing hands on his neck.

"Christ that's cold!" Suguru dropped her in surprise and started running.

"Ouch! Hey get back here!" Liana laughed as she chased him with their wooden weapons.

That wasn't the end of her returning memories. Along with all of her mental memories of him came some visual memories. She and Suguru were rocking the stage at the Battle of the Bands with Emily and someone she didn't recognize. Suguru was playing lead guitar, Liana was on bass, Emily was on the keyboard, and the mystery boy on the drums. All of them were singing their hearts out and being cheered on by the audience. More sibling memories cleared: Them going places with each together, sparring matches, a birthday present of a shiny new kunai set with a note that said, "To the best sister anyone could have. Now you can kick even more ass…with spiffier kick-assery!"

She smiled at these returning thoughts, but cringed at the next thing she saw. When she was sixteen and Suguru nineteen, they were driving home from a movie late at night going crazy, as usual, while listening to "Nobody's Listening" by Linkin Park. When they were going through a green light, a drunk driver didn't stop at his red right and hit Suguru on the driver's side. He died on impact along with the drunk driver. Liana was in the hospital in a coma for a week. When she woke up, her parents were there along with Emily and the drummer from the band. She didn't remember the accident so her parents reminded her. In a panic she asked where Suguru was. They cried as they told her he was killed. Liana couldn't believe it, she wouldn't.

For a whole month she slipped into schizophrenia. Suguru and her were joined at the hip. They were closer than life-long best friends or lovers could ever be. Her dear brother was her life. They could tell each other anything, could trust each other and they could have fun doing anything. They could make staring at a wall fun for each other. They shared everything in common and never ran out of things to talk about. They talked about anything and everything all the time. They went everywhere together. They brightened each other's days and always were there to comfort and help and support each other when they needed it. They admired and adored each other from the beginning. They loved each other more than anything and now that Suguru was dead, Liana refused to believe that rare, treasured, irreplaceable relationship was gone so she went about her life like nothing happened. Her mind made her see a color negative of Suguru. She had to hide in the lie because she couldn't handle the pain, so she interacted with a fake brother. Nobody knew what to do about it, so they just let her exist in her perfect little fantasy world where Suguru was still breathing by her side like he always was. It was already painful enough for Naoto and Chloe to have lost their son and with their daughter going crazy at the same time, they didn't have a clue what to do in fear of making it worse.

Eventually Liana realized the truth and the phantom Suguru dissipated. When this happened she felt so alone and let out her grief in screams and tears. Her heart had shattered and no amount of love from family and friends seemed to dull the pain. She forgot about everyone, even God.

The month after was Suguru's memorial service when the family, more like Liana, was stable enough. It was a frozen day in February by the river when the service was done. Snow fell gently to the ground as the black-clothed figures stood in silent tears. The priest ended his talk and people who wanted to speak about Suguru spoke. Liana didn't speak nor weep. She was an emotionless statue in a black kimono staring off into the chilled earth. She was a zombie. When it was time to scatter his ashes into the water, Liana took the urn from her mother and sat down on the white bank of the river with it. She pulled Suguru's sword out of her robes. It wasn't the wooden practice sword he used when sparring, it was a true sword made for fighting. She unsheathed it and pulled her long hair in front of her.

"My hair with your blade," Liana said as she cut it above her waist and tied it around the handle of the sword. It was a gift to him. He always loved her hair and told her it was the prettiest thing about her. Now it was his. She rolled up her right sleeve and cut the outside of her upper arm.

Everyone was shocked and confused at what she was doing, but wouldn't interfere. If this is how she wanted to say goodbye, they were going to let her as long as she didn't try to commit suicide, which she had thought about more than once that month, not that anyone knew that.

Liana opened the urn and held the blade over it as if she was going stab it. She watched her blood travel down to the top of the blade and drip into the clay ash-keeper. She felt nothing; no happiness, no peace, no sorrow, no anger, not even the sting of the bleeding wound. She felt numb. She was an empty shell. It was as if her soul was gone and all that remained was a tragic figure that wandered the earth without a purpose.

"My blood with your ashes," she continued as she watched the last drop of blood fall off the blade and splash into the soft pile of remains, "And a scar on my arm," she slammed the blade deep into the ground behind her and picked up the urn as she stood, "So that I cam always with you and you with me," she slowly spread the ashes into the water and wind, "Never shall I forget." When the urn was empty, she and the others left to go back to the house for the small reception and to check out Liana's wound to see if it would need stitches from the doctor. They left Suguru's shining steel in the ground with the hair flowing in the wind like a long tassel, neither ever to be removed from the soil or each other.

Rebecca looked at Liana. Liana was staring blankly into nothing as she ran her fingers across the long scar on her arm.

"Hey Liana?" Rebecca asked, "You okay? Where'd you get that scar?"

"Suguru," she murmured, "Brother…why do I have to remember such pain…why did you have to die!" She broke down crying and Rebecca came running to her rescue. Billy would have come too but he didn't want to ruin the stitches, hurt himself, and have Rebecca scold him. Liana couldn't help but cry. Of course Suguru died over a year and a half ago, but she just relived a terrible memory. Not only that, she just remembered she had a big brother and now all of the sudden she didn't have one anymore which was incredibly frustrating and painful because she was just becoming more and more alone. She was afraid to pray and hope for anything because she was tired of being let down by hurtful memories.

Rebecca held her close and sang an old Tlingit lullaby her father taught her. The language wasn't what you'd call soft and flowing like the Elvish language from "The Lord of the Rings". It was a harder language with some clicks and many of the words came from the back of the throat and sounded like a raven call. Even so, her voice captivated Billy. It made him smile peacefully and want to fall into a calm slumber. He chuckled inwardly watching the two girls. They looked like a mother and daughter.

The half-native rocked Liana back and forth as she sang. The song would be complete if she had the soft, slow beat of a drum. Rebecca always loved singing the Tlingit lullabies and they always gave her some comfort and cheered her up when her dad sang them to her when she was a child. She just hoped it would work on her friend. It took a few lullabies, but Liana eventually calmed down and wiped away her tears.

"Hey Akiko," Billy called, "Air hug!" Billy smiled as he opened his arms in her direction. Liana giggled and air hugged him back.

"You might want to finish Billy. He's been patient for a while." Liana said to Rebecca. The cop got up and went back to stitching Billy.

"So where did that scar come from?" Rebecca asked. Liana sighed and told them everything she saw in detail.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry that happened." Rebecca said sympathetically.

"Don't worry about it, Rebecca-chan," Liana smiled, "At least I have all my memories of my family back."

"But something's still missing, huh?" Billy asked. Liana nodded.

"Well I think its great that- hey what was your brother's middle name?" Rebecca asked.

"Jean. My mom picked it. My dad got to choose his first name so my mom chose his middle name. Then when I came around it was vise-versa."

"That's nice. Anyways, I think it's great you and Suguru had such a strong sibling relationship."

"Yup. It was pretty cool. Hey you know what was funny about my dad? Whenever any of my guy friends came over or something, when they'd leave he'd always announce if he's worthy enough or not to be my boyfriend, not that I liked any of them that way anyways. It was so random! You'd hear the door close and then he'd walk into the middle of the house and go, 'Worthy!' or 'Not worthy!' while looking at nothing and then walk away and go about his business."

"Ha ha! Your dad's pretty funny."

"Well, he _was_ anyways," Liana said solemnly. A moment later she brightened up a bit with fond memories, "Man I loved my parents. They were the best ever!"

"Liar! Mine's the best!" Rebecca said with a smile.

"Well mine watched 'Sailor Moon' and 'Rurouni Kenshin' with me and Suguru." Rebecca gasped.

"I love 'Sailor Moon'! That's me and my mom's favorite anime!" she said excitedly.

"Really? It's my favorite too! Who's your favorite character, Rebecca-chan?"

"My favorite is Sailor Mercury."

"She's totally you. Sailor Mars is my favorite." I dressed up as her for Halloween once. That was so funny! My whole family went over to Emily's house. My parents helped Emily's parents with the trick-or-treating and ran around like maniacs. Suguru was Nephrite and Emily was Sailor Mercury. Now here's what was funny. My parents were so spastic about this: My mom was Sailor Moon and my dad was Tuxedo Mask! And they did this little act too whenever kids would come to the door!" Rebecca and Liana laughed while Billy stayed solemn and silent.

"That's so cool! Sounds like a lot of fun!"

"Then the next year we did the same thing except we all dressed up as people from my brother's and my dad's favorite anime, Rurouni Kenshin. I was Machimaki, Emily was Takani, my mom was Kaoru, my dad was Kenshin, and Suguru was Sanosuke. That was pretty cool."

"My sisters and I did something like that on Halloween when I was Mercury, Megan was Jupiter and Kiley was Venus. That was a lot of fun."

"Yeah, my brother was such a good fighter too. He and my dad were pretty equal in skill. Dad rarely had to critique him. It was amazing to watch them. They'd just keep sparring and sparring for a long time and it usually ended in a draw. Heh heh, my mom drooled over my dad whenever she watched him." The girls giggled.

"So what does 'Akiko' mean?" Rebecca asked.

"It means 'bright light.' "

"It fits." Rebecca said with a smile.

"Thanks," Liana smiled, "Hey what was that you were singing to me? It sounded pretty cool."

"Tlingit lullabies my dad taught me."

"They were beautiful. Can you speak the language?"

"For the most part, yeah."

"Yey! Another linguist! I can still speak more languages than you, Rebecca-chan!" Liana gloated.

"Yeah, yeah. So tell me more about this band you and Suguru were in. Sounds like you guys were pretty popular."

"Well my brother started it. It was primarily a Japanese rock band. Suguru and I were the only ones who actually spoke Japanese, but we taught the others how to sing in Japanese. We were called, 'Kunai.' We won the school's battle of the bands a couple times, which was pretty cool. We even played for my dad at his birthday party. He was, like, our main groupie. Heh, it was so cute because after we finished playing, my mom got up and sang a love song in Japanese for my dad while Emily played on her synthesizer. A month before my dad's birthday my mom came into the garage while my band was practicing and asked for help because she wanted to sing in Japanese and she had no clue how to speak it. She wrote the song already but I translated it, edited it, and taught her how to sing it. My mom always captivated my dad with her voice and this song drove him to tears. It was so sweet."

"Awww," Rebecca smiled, "That's cute. My mom did that once on she and my dad's twentieth anniversary in Tlingit. She went to my grandma for help on it. Oh! My grandma is sooo cool! She taught me how to weave raven tail robes."

"What are those?" Liana asked.

"They look like heavily woven blankets with Tlingit drawings and stuff on them. They're called 'raven tails' because on the base of them is a row of black tassels. It takes a _year_ to make them. My family taught me everything about Tlingit culture and-"

"Enough!" Billy snapped, "I've heard enough about your fucking families and how great they are, so just shut up!" Rebecca and Liana were shocked. They were frozen by Billy's rage. Why was he so mad? It wasn't an annoyed anger, no this one was serious. Billy hadn't said a word about his family. Liana and Rebecca thought it was just because he was too busy dealing with the pain of stitching to say much. Did he not want to talk about his family? Did he not get along with them? What was his story? These questions and thoughts raced through the girls' minds as Billy sat in silence with a nasty look on his face.

"Temper, temper," Billy's conscience tisked, "You really need to work on some anger management."

"I have every right to be pissed!" Billy shot back stubbornly in his head.

"Well, duh! Of course you do! But it's not them you should be mad at." Eventually Billy eased up back to normal. Rebecca was still like a statue with her hands on his shoulder blades. He really scares her when he gets mad. Billy sighed as he reached back and took one of the cop's hands. He pulled it over his shoulder so it was closer to his face. He kissed it and stroked it with his fingertips.

"Sorry, Rebecca. I shouldn't have gotten mad," Billy turned to Liana without letting go of Rebecca's hand, "Akiko-chan, gomen nasai."

"Heh, don't worry about it, Billy-kun," Liana smiled, "Where'd you learn that phrase?"

"Eh, I watch 'Kenshin'. It's the only good anime I've ever seen."

"Why'd you snap, Billy?" Rebecca asked softly as she got back to stitching. Billy was silent, "Is it because you don't like your family or something?"

"More like they didn't like me. Tom Coen and Lauren Jamison," Billy sighed, "My parents hated me since before I was born. They were just a couple of stupid teens your age. My mom didn't believe in abortions so she just had me. When I was born, my dad just slapped the name 'Billy Coen' on me and put me up for adoption. I grew up in the adoption place. No on wanted me. I kept hoping that a couple would come and be my parents, but no one ever came. I kept seeing my friends getting families, but not me. I was always being abandoned, left alone by everyone. I tried for so many years to find my parents and get to know them, but they kept pushing me away whenever I'd get close. They wanted nothing to do with me, so I was always in a depression. I thought about suicide a lot but I never could bring myself to try it."

"And that's what your tattoo is about, isn't it?" Rebecca asked sympathetically, "Because of your parents?"

"Yeah," Billy murmured, "I got it when they died. I always had a childish hope that someday they'd come get me or I'd find them and they'd let me in. I was seventeen when I heard they died in a five-car pile up. When I heard I said, 'Good riddance' and ran. I hated them for leaving me completely and taking away my dreams of ever having a family. I looked older than I was so I got the tattoo with the little money I made at 7/11. When I ran from the adoption house I had nowhere to go so I joined the military."

"Why did you get the tattoo?" Liana asked, "I thought you said you hated them."

"You got it all wrong Akiko," Billy explained, "Tattoos aren't always marks of love. They can be scars of hate, like this one," Billy held his right arm, the tattoo, "It's a symbol of why I loathe my parents…my mother. It's a symbol of what I've always wanted, but what I could never have…because they refused to give it to me."

"Billy…" Rebecca said sadly.

"Tom and Lauren left a hole in me and I tried everything to fill the void. Some pretty stupid shit too. Vodka, heroine, hookers, you name it. I did a bunch of those kind of fucked up things for about four years," Billy nearly growled thinking about what he did and the reason: That damn hole. The hole made him cold, lonely, and angry and everyone in the room knew it. A thought later made Billy smile a little again, "Remember my buddy Dave I told you about? He was the one who got me out of it."

"Oh yeah? That's good. How'd he do that?" Rebecca asked.

"He knew I had no place to go but the military and he knew that if the leaders found out the crap I've been involved in, I'd get kicked out. He kept reminding me of that and just didn't give up on me. He followed me around everywhere until he knew I was done with it. I don't know how he was able to tell when I was acting like it was over and when I was being truthful. I owe him a lot. It's too bad I wasn't able to repay him before he died. Even though he was the kind of guy who wouldn't take and only give. 'You being cleaned up is reward enough for me,' he always told me."

"Wow, what an awesome friend," Liana commented, "Selfless, caring, and inspiring he is."

"Yeah…he really was." Billy trailed off. His eyes turned down and hid behind his hair. He missed Dave so much. He always did. No one had been there for him more than he.

"Hey, Billy. Where did you get that?" Rebecca asked when she spied a small round scar on his left shoulder blade.

"Get what?"

"This," she said as she ran her finger across it. Billy tensed and took a sudden, quiet breath. The scar was sensitive, but it didn't hurt. Her soft touch startled him and even made him blush a little.

"That's an exit wound," Billy murmured, still cold toward the memory, "When I tried to stop my comrades from attacking the village in Africa they shot me in the collarbone," Billy took Rebecca's hand and traced it to the entry wound, "Right here." Billy shut his eyes and held back his tears as the sound of gunshots and innocent screams echoed in his head. A few moments passed and nothing had to be said to explain how Rebecca felt. She told of her sympathy through a light and nervous kiss on the scar on his back and carefully placed hug so as to not touch the stitches. Billy hugged the thin arms around his neck in return. Both the humans' faces were bright red and couldn't look at each other out of embarrassment. Liana tried to keep her happy squeal down. She giggled quietly to herself and kicked her feet. Her laugh only made the humans more embarrassed so they ignored it and Rebecca went back to work on the stitches.

"Hey Lee, what's our ammo count?" Billy asked. Liana quickly rummaged through their gear for a few minutes before she gave her report.

"Rebecca's pistol is fully loaded and has an extra clip. She has two grenade rounds loaded in her launcher and five flame and six acid rounds in her bandolier. Lastly her MP-5 is fully loaded with thirty rounds and she has three extra clips handy. And as for you, Billy, you have fourteen rounds ready in your pistol along with two extra clips and your shotgun is fully loaded and you have seven extra rounds. Oh and Rebecca has three blue herbs on her. Don't worry though. Even if you do run out of ammo, you'll be fine cuz you got me around." She smiled.

"Alrighty," Rebecca said as she finished taping a bandage to Billy's back, "You're all done."

"Great. Thanks Becks. I owe you."

"My pleasure. Thank you for your patience and not moving. You're very brave."

"I'm a grunt. I'm used to pain."

"Yeah Mr. Macho." Liana commented while giving her friends their gear.

"Damn straight." Billy said as he put his shirt back on.

"Okay so where are we off to next?" Liana asked.

"The blue door up by the centipede room." Rebecca answered.

"Cool, so you guys ready?" Liana asked as Billy finished strapping his shotgun to his back.

"I'm ready." Rebecca answered, pistol in hand.

"Let rock and roll." Billy stated as he twirled his.

"Onward we go then!" Liana said enthusiastically as she burst out of the door.

Hey guys! Yeah I know this chapter wasn't as interesting since there was no Resident Evilness in it really, but it's necessary for characterization I guess. By the way, Jean is pronounced like Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in case you didn't know. Anyways, just in case some of you were offended (I doubt you were but you never know so I'll say it anyways) by me making Megan a "stereotypical" lesbian or whatever, I didn't do it on purpose I just felt like it. I have nothing against gays or anything and nothing against outdoorsy girls. If you read my profile you'd know this because I am a climber and stuff like Megan (except there's no way I'd do the PCT…I'd get too homesick, I'm sure) except I'm straight as an arrow. (My boyfriend is so cute! He looks like Mario! squeals I have to dress him up!) Man I wish I could climb as good as Megan. That would be so cool. Anyways, yeah. That would be it. Sorry again for taking a whole year to update! But hey! I'm starting to work on the next chapter so hopefully it won't take so freaking long next time. I hope these chapters were good presents and worth the wait. HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! You know what the coolest holiday name is? Kwanzaa! Isn't that the most fun thing to say? Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa! These two chapters have been dedicated to my buddy Garrett (love ya, Smeagol! Merry Christmas! This is what you wanted after all. I hope it was good enough.) and I thank Brody for beta-ing (you're awesome!) Until next time everybody, ADIOS MIS AMORES!


	11. The Water Door

**Chapter 11 **

**The Water Door**

"Okay so what are we looking for?" Rebecca asked as she walked through the door out of the room with the dead spiders. She and Billy took turns using the room as a toilet and now that she was done, they started moving.

"The Obedience and Discipline tablets," Liana answered as she swished her sharp tail back and forth, "And where are we going for our next move?"

"The water motif door whose key I just found at the near expense of my life."

"Yeah, sorry again," Billy cringed, "I should have given you the shotgun or something when I had the chance once you got in there."

"Don't worry about it. You guys still came through for me in the end."

"Yeah, but next time you might not be so lucky. From now on, we don't split up so this won't happen again." Liana suggested.

"Alright, but if for whatever reason we do separate, don't worry about it since I have _this_ now," Rebecca concurred as she showed off her new MP5 sub-machine gun, "Next time those hunters won't get me."

"You know what I find weird?" Liana commented, "How Billy's the big tough military dude, but you're the one carrying around the grenade launcher, the bandolier, your pistol, _and_ the MP5 when he's only carrying the shotgun and a pistol. Why don't you, Billy, give Rebecca your shotgun in exchange for the other bigness?"

"But I like my shotty," Billy said with a cutely sad expression for a moment making the girls chuckle. His expression changed when a thought popped into his head, "I'll take the 'nade launcher though if it bothers you."

"No way, man. Finders, keepers." Rebecca reacted while holding her weapon protectively.

"Fair enough, Becks. But seriously, if you ever need to switch if all that awesome crap gets too heavy, don't hesitate to ask." Billy offered.

"Thanks, I might take you up on that later." Rebecca answered as she opened the door to the main hall.

"Hey wait a minute," Liana stopped, "Did you guys ever go through that door?" she asked while pointing to one of the knight doors that seemed to lead to the front of the facility.

"No, last time it was sealed up by the swords." Billy answered as he changed course and walked to the door gripping his pistol. Rebecca followed suit, keeping in mind more monsters would probably sit in silence on the other side waiting for their prey to emerge. Liana suddenly tensed. Rebecca noticed and her adrenaline started pumping. The last time Liana tensed with that look of weariness and sense of presence, a hoard of giant tarantula babies tried to kill them in the hallway to the basement. And before that, she tensed up when she sensed the giant centipede coming. That look always meant something very dangerous approached them.

"Billy," Liana spoke softly standing as still as a statue, "Don't move."

"Why? What is it?" he asked, trying to obey her advice.

"There's a big hairy spider on you," She answered slow and calm. Billy turned white and gulped, "Just…don't make any sudden movements to scare it. I'll get it. Just don't move." Liana approached quietly as Billy started trembling.

"Where is it?" he asked shakily.

"Right…there!" Suddenly Billy felt a bite to the back of his neck. He yelped and ran to the corner of the room screaming his head off.

"Aaaa! Get it off me! Get it off me! Aaa!" When he turned around he saw Liana and Rebecca nearly doubling over with laugher.

"What the hell?" Billy felt the back of his neck looking for a bite mark and as he suspected he found nothing of the sort. Liana just played a trick and pinched him.

"You should have seen the look on your face!" Rebecca laughed. She nearly burst into giggles when Liana told Billy about the spider, especially since it didn't exist. Luckily for Liana, Rebecca can keep a strait face when she needs to.

"Come on, man! You think I'd actually get all serious and stuff over a little spider? I'm not arachnophobic." Said Liana trying to control her laughter

"But I am!" Billy complained, "So shut up! It's not funny!"

"Yeah, Lee! This is no time to laugh. This is _serious_." Rebecca said with the weirdest serious look ever. She stared at Liana like that for all of five seconds before they started cracking up. How could they not laugh after all? A big, tough, ex-marine screaming like a girl over a little spider? It's like the elephant screaming over a mouse. It's just funny.

"You all suck." Billy pouted as he followed the girls through the metal door.

Fortunately, nothing lurked on the other side for them. They basically ended up on the front porch of the facility. If the condition of the grounds had life and care, it would give whoever came a spectacular arrival across a long stone bridge above a tall cliff with elegant stone railings, which had now mostly diminished. Liana hopped onto one of the railings.

"Watch your step around here, guys," Liana informed while looking over the crumbling edge, "I don't even want to think about how far down that goes."

"Note taken," Billy thanked while looking around the area for anything useful. Rebecca found a small elevator that went to the third floor. It had stopped up there and she tried to call it down but the battery had been removed so nothing happened.

"Hey Liana, can you do me a favor?" Rebecca asked politely.

"Sure," Liana jumped to her side, "What do you need?"

"Can you climb up there and see what's around?"

"No prob. Be right back," Liana jumped to the first metal beam and gracefully climbed and leapt up the outside of the shaft with such speed she disappeared in a flash. A moment later, she peaked her head over the edge and called, "We've been up here before! It leads to the centipede room!"

"Okay, thanks! Come on down and we can go use the key!" Rebecca called back. Liana spotted something on top of one of the pillars below. She jumped off the tall elevator shaft and landed next to the pillar. She hopped, grabbed the top of the pillar, and did a pull-up to see what lay there.

"There you are!" she smiled as her tail snaked around the object and pulled it off the stone. She let go of the pillar and showed the object to her friends, "I found the discipline tablet."

"Hey, great," Billy commented, "Nice use of your tail too."

"Yeah, it comes in handy." Liana agreed as she let the tablet plop into her hand.

"Everything clear?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah I think that's all there is around here." Billy answered.

"Okay, let's go then." The B.O.W. said as she went back inside the facility.

The trio entered the grand hall again and headed towards their destination, the humans feeling slightly safer in a place with lights and no cliffs to beware of. Rebecca and Billy didn't show it, but ever since they heard about the giant bat that stalked somewhere out there and could have snatched them up before they knew what hit them, they felt afraid to go outside. Of course they felt safer with Liana there, but natural fear and paranoia stayed with them like a haunting ghost. Mistakes happen and nobody can achieve perfection in fighting and protection, not even Liana. She couldn't kill the bat when she first ran into it. Well, she probably could've if she had the time to finish the fight. If she stuck around for the kill, Billy and Rebecca wouldn't have woken up and they'd be another pair of zombies for her to deal with.

They stopped at the staircase to the centipede room (the art room, their destination beside them) when they heard a sound. Rebecca knew it all too well: the giant cockroaches again.

"Wait here a second. I'll be right back." Liana said as she unsheathed the claws on one hand. She leapt up the stairs five at a time with the tablet in one hand. The hissing of the insects were replaced with their dying screeches. A moment later, the sound of a heavy metal door opening (the third knight door apparently) and a couple seconds later they heard it close and Liana trotted down the stairs to their side again, her claws sheathed in her fingers.

"All ready?" Rebecca asked as she walked into the art room.

"Yup. The room's safe and the second tablet's in place. The last one must be through there." She pointed to the blue door on the other side of the room.

"Right," Rebecca unlocked the door and tossed the key aside, "Into the unknown again." She opened the door, pistol ready.

Billy quickly strafed in and aimed his gun down the eerie hall to the right of the door. He scanned the hall, watching and waiting for something to attack. He heard only the buzzing of the faint lights above and only saw a dim hall full of cracks and grime.

"Clear." He informed, signaling for the girls to follow. Rebecca stepped out first, gun ready and Liana zipped behind them.

"Sense anything, Lee?" Billy asked. Liana concentrated for a moment.

"Nothing in the hall," she answered, turning to the door to their right, "Let's check in here."

The next room sat enshrouded in darkness, but not so much that they couldn't see. It looked like a surveillance room. It had to be with all the tapes, film, control panels and TVs there. They couldn't find anything that stood out in particular. Liana snuck around the corner and continued searching. She smelled something odd in the room. She found the source on the control panel and the floor. She recognized the smell and didn't even have to touch it to know what made the slimy substance: the leeches.

"Hey guys, I think there's leeches in here," she warned keeping a calm tone, "We should leave. I found a lot of their slime."

The trio frantically searched faster, knowing that any minute those little devils might come back. Someone had been using the equipment in there recently, but God knows who it could be in a place like that. Liana spotted a crank on one of the desks.

"That's odd," she thought, "Pretty out of place." She was about to pick it up when she heard the disgusting sound of sliding masses behind her. She turned around and saw the leeches rise up and form the shape of a human.

"Run!" she warned her friends as she kicked the monster back against the rack of tapes. Suddenly, the wobbly leech imitation of a human solidified over as its slime made some strange grayish-brown weak skin. The form of leeches opened the skin on the lower part of the head, creating a mouth. Inside the gaping hole sat at least a dozen of the little freaks, all with their tiny fanged mouths open on their bellies awaiting their dinner. At the same time the monster quickly stretched its arms across the room in attempt to grab Liana. She unsheathed her claws and cut off the appendages. The leeches that received a direct hit died while the rest attached to them broke out of the skin and slithered back to the rest of the hoard still standing to recreate the arms.

When Billy and Rebecca heard Liana's warning, they automatically turned to the direction of her alcove. The second they saw the dead leeches hit the walls they ran out into the hall. They wanted to help but the only weapons they had that would do any significant damage to the thing could also hurt or kill Liana in the process. Besides, when Liana told them to run they knew from experience that they better follow orders. They didn't worry too much about her though. She handled one of the "leech-men" before without too much trouble when she looked for them after finding the anti-virus.

Liana leapt at the thing and started slashing at its head and chest. With every blow she delivered leeches died and holes in the skin emerged, but the large amount of leeches remaining just filled in the space. Interestingly enough, the skin didn't regenerate. It might have if she wasn't busy hacking it open and widening the holes. Eventually very few of the group would exist to "heal" the form's wounds (or crawl on their victim and attack individually) and they would retreat, but it takes time to do so. Liana decided she had no time to finish it off because she smelled another large group coming into the hall somewhere. It could mean big trouble for Billy and Rebecca. She had to injure the "leech-man" enough in one hit to slow it down and make an escape. She dove her clawed hands and sharp tail into the center of its chest making sliced pieces of the leeches from the inside push out the back and stick to the wall with a combination of their clear slime and yellow insides. The backs of her hands touched inside the abomination and just as quick as she dove her weapons in, she pushed her hands apart and her tail up before the little monsters had time to bite. This caused the thing's torso to rip vertically into two and the weakened head sever apart to pieces. With the "leech-man" reduced to piles of fist-sized horrors all over the alcove, she darted away and out the door, slamming it behind her before the thing had a chance to regenerate and follow her.

Liana ran into the hall to meet Rebecca and Billy. She smelled more leeches ahead, a lot of them and coming closer. They were unpredictable and extremely dangerous. She had to warn her friends because even with their weapons the leeches could cause a lot of problems especially since Billy and Rebecca can't sense where they will come from. If the leeches' large numbers don't form a leech-man, they are even more dangerous because killing one large form comes with more ease than trying to kill countless small things crawling all over you and the floor.

She had to hurry. The first leech-man could find and follow her any minute.

"Rebecca! Billy!" Liana called out, "There's more leeches here! Get back! They're around the corner!"

Billy rounded the corner before he could react to Liana's warning. Sure enough a leech-man wobbled towards him. Its feet and hands couldn't count as appendages. The ends of the legs and arms just spread out on the bottom like amoebas, making a disgusting squishing and gushing sound as it walked. It elongated its arm to grab Billy but his quick reflexes allowed him to dodge it. At the same time he dropped his pistol and pulled out his shotgun. He fired once and the monster received a hole in its gut and a good shove ten feet backwards and to the floor. Billy quickly grabbed his 9mm pistol and holstered it while running back to the girls.

No one can blame him for feeling scared at the sight of that thing. After all, last time he ran into one of them he was half-dead from the T-Virus and it would have killed him in his period of weakness if Liana hadn't shown up in time.

"Where the hell did that come from!" he asked in an almost panicked tone while pressing his back up against the wall. Billy mentally kicked himself for running away. He could have killed the thing if he started shooting it while it was down and vulnerable. He ran back to the wall mostly out of fear but also because of the habit he inherited from battlefields while in the Marines. You fire once (or fire a small burst if you have an automatic weapon) then move for cover so your enemies don't have much of a chance to shoot you.

"I don't know! This place is full of surprises!" Rebecca answered.

"Yeah and we better kill that one now," Liana suggested, "Because I didn't kill the one back there and I think I hear it coming."

"Oh great, we're cornered," Billy said in frustration. He thought fast and came up with a plan, "I'll take this one out. Rebecca, you watch the door we just came out of. That is where you smell them from right, Lee?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, so Rebecca if you see anything come out of that door you blow it away with your grenade launcher," he told the cop. He then began to inform the other girl, "And Lee, you're only backup in case something goes wrong. I don't want to risk you getting hit with a grenade or a shotgun round. I'll take out the one in the hall. My shotgun can kill it faster than your claws. We need to kill this thing fast or we could get in big trouble if both get close at the same time."

"Agreed and I'll keep a good eye on you two." Liana nodded. Billy nodded and ran out to confront the leech-man again.

Now the monster had filled the hole up by distributing more leeches to the "wounded" area to even itself out, but it was skinnier and probably more fragile much to the advantage of Billy. He pumped his shotgun and fired at its chest. Because the distance of the shot was further away it didn't knock the thing over, create as big a hole, or push it back as far. Billy fired again and the monster's torso stretched back from the hit momentarily as if it tried to lean back and touch its head to the floor. However the legs kept it moving forward and the torso pulled back up again.

"Damn it, this would be a lot easier if it felt pain." Billy said to himself as he cocked his weapon again and fired a fourth round, splitting it in half. The torso and legs toppled to the floor. The leeches that made the legs popped out of the skin and slithered back to the remains of the body to recreate the bottom half. Billy was about to fire again when the torso stretched one of its arms and grabbed his neck. Billy let out a surprised yelp and it quickly pulled him down to its open mouth. Just as fast he shoved his weapon in its slimy mouth and fired. All the creatures that made up the head died instantly in their own little explosion. He even heard one.

"Heh, funny timing," he thought, "Must have been Rebecca's grenade." Billy managed to release himself from the arm's grip and fired two more times into the thinned-out weak monster. Hardly any leeches remained, luckily, since Billy had to reload his shotgun anyways. The few monsters that lived retreated. The human didn't pay attention to where they went since he had to check on the girls and make sure they were okay.

"Hey Becks! Lee! You guys all right?" Billy called while trotting back to their position. He turned the corner and saw smoke clearing to show a gaping hole in the wall showing the inside of the surveillance room. Some of the equipment managed to stay intact, "Becks?"

"Yeah we're here." Rebecca answered coughing and waving the smoke away from her face.

"Okay," Billy sighed with relief, "Lee?"

"Present!" Liana chirped from the blown open room while raising her hand like an excited kindergartener.

"How come you're not affected by the smoke and what are you doing in there?" Billy inquired.

"Because I can hold my breath for a long time now and I'm looking for survivors."

"Lemme guess, you're bored?" he asked while loading his last seven rounds into his shotgun before he holstered it on his back.

"Yes. Ah-ha! There's one!" she said as she stepped on a leech, killing it in an instant.

"Ewww! Liana, that's gross! It's all over your foot now!" Rebecca complained, "Quit stepping on them and clean off your foot. God, it's like I'm babysitting a five-year-old."

"Why are you nagging at me? Billy's got leech guts on him too." Liana motioned to the yellow substance on Billy's face and shirt because of his close range shots at the leech-man. Billy hadn't noticed probably because of his preoccupation with his friends' well-being. Rebecca didn't notice either since she only looked at him when the smoke still clouded some of her vision.

Liana tore off one of her shirtsleeves and tossed to Billy for him to use as a clean-up rag, even though the sleeve wasn't very clean (just clean_er_). But then, how could you have clean clothes after shooting zombies and other monsters for countless hours in the middle of the night.

"Yeah, but he didn't make a mess of himself on purpose. He was just defending himself and got icky."

"Same with me, then." She said as a rebuttal while tearing off another piece of her shirt to use as a towel for her slimed bare foot.

"No," Rebecca sighed in frustration, "You don't _need_ to kill those random leeches because they aren't threatening you, so you're just being stupid!"

"Becks, have you noticed she's only trying to justify it to annoy you?" Billy asked while trying to contain his laughter. Apparently Rebecca didn't notice Liana giggling to herself.

"Let's go." Rebecca said in defeat after a long pause. She turned to her left and walked back down the hall. Billy and Liana just chuckled after her.

"Hey Billy, I got a couple glances of you fighting that leech monster. Good job. That thing didn't stand a chance, not against your shotgun of doom." Liana complimented.

"Heh, thanks. I killed him faster than you could have." He answered while sticking his tongue out.

"Yes and you're gonna get more target practice in just a second."

"Yeah I can smell them too. God, their stench is potent." Rebecca commented.

"You're telling me? I'm the one with the better senses, so it _really_ sucks for me." Liana added as they reached the door where the scent came from.

"Okay, how many are in there?" Rebecca asked readying her pistol.

"I don't know," Liana answered, "But we can take them no matter how many there are."

"Uh-huh. Billy you take the left and I'll take the right." Rebecca ordered ready to turn the doorknob of the paint-chipped wooden door.

"Gotcha." Billy winked twirling his pistol. Rebecca nodded then burst in the door like lightning with her human comrade. Luckily the closest zombie staggered too far away to do her any harm. She aimed for a second then fired a clean shot to the head and did the same to its ally in the corner of the room.

At the same time behind her Billy fired two bullets at two enemies in different areas of the room. He fired them one after the other in what seemed like half a second, landing perfect hits into their skulls: instant kills.

"I'm jealous Mr. Marksman," Rebecca pouted playfully, "You're so pro with your aim. I wish I could do that."

"Thanks, it's all just experience. You're pretty good for a rookie though."

"Found it!" Liana informed so abruptly it made the other two jump. They turned to the right and saw she had snuck in and was looking at something on the workbench. The dark room they were in was filled with tables and tools. A corner had a couple rusted drums full of something they didn't want to check (if it had anything in them at all.) On the other side of the room stood some shelves filled with more various tools and such and a pile of more of them in the corner. Billy spotted some shotgun rounds on one of the shelves, so he took it with a smile. The walls had cracks and stains all over. The flickering lights caught the presence of a few windows.

Billy and Rebecca came to the little workbench with the only light that worked the way it should in the room. Clamped in a vise was the last of the tablets: obedience.

"This must have been what that random crank handle was for in the video room." Liana thought. Luckily for them, she didn't need the handle to open the vise. She quickly pulled the vise apart and caught the tablet.

"Now we go to the observatory right?" Billy asked.

"Uh-huh, but first we have to check the room at the end of the hall. We haven't gone in there yet. We might find something useful." She answered as she walked out of the room towards the "possibly useful room". The others followed quick enough to see her break the door down with a quick kick.

"Liana, would you stop vandalizing the place?" Rebecca sighed as she followed her in.

"Me vandalizing? Did you forget who put that giant hole in the wall with a grenade?" Liana laughed.

"Touche." Rebecca admitted.

The door led to a smaller hallway with two doors. One to the right on the opposite wall and one to the left at the end of the hall. The hall was brighter than the other room with a few functioning lamps on the walls.

"I smell a little something in the left door, but it doesn't smell like there are any zombies in the other one." Liana informed.

"Yeah, I don't smell anything potent. Let's go in the non-smelly room first since it's closer anyways." Billy said while opening the door to the right.

As expected from the absence of a rotting odor, nothing laid in wait there for them. The brighter room and pleasant atmosphere gave them a calm and relieving feeling, a nice change from what they've been seeing recently.

It was a nice little bar. People hadn't been there for a while, apparent because of all the dust the room collected. A small wooden table sat to the right of the door. To the left stood the small bar with stools. In the back of the room were a few nicely crafted windows showing the nearly pitch black night outside. The ceiling had a single fan that rotated ever so slowly. A grand piano sat lonely near the corner of the wall on the opposite side of the bar. Even a sheet of music sat out on the small shelf above the keys. The room looked as if the people inside had just disappeared, but then a lot of the rooms looked like that.

"Well if there was ever a place in this facility for taking a break, this is it," Billy commented as he and Rebecca holstered their pistols, "Anyone for a drink?" he smirked as he zipped to the bar.

"Billy! This is no time to be drinking!" Rebecca scolded with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, on the contrary Doll-face," he said as he looked around the shelves for his favorite liquor, "This is the perfect time to drink. We're in a crisis, after all."

"Exactly! So no booze! You need to keep every ounce of your wits here or you could get yourself and the rest of us killed," Rebecca complained while setting her grenade launcher down and approaching the counter. As she continued to nag about what even the smallest intake of alcohol does, Billy barely listened while he found a bottle of whiskey and examined the year. He gave it a small smile and a nod as he opened it and poured himself a glass as Rebecca's speech continued on, "You'll only cause problems. You're an ex-Marine, Billy. You should know better."

"But alcohol is the cause _and _solution to all of life's problems." Billy countered Rebecca's lecture while raising his glass of whiskey to his lips for a drink.

"Don't forget the _cause_ part of that, Homer Simpson." Liana said as she snatched the glass away with her prehensile tail and set the tablet down on the counter. She startled Billy a little. She always had a tendency to pop up out of nowhere right next to him.

"Is it your hobby to sneak up on people? You're gonna make me piss my pants someday." Billy said as he watched her walk passed him to the sink. She set the booze down and grabbed another glass from behind her with her tail and placed it in her hand. She turned on the faucet and poured clear (luckily) water into it.

"Here you go. This'll hydrate you," She said like a cheery waitress as she shoved the glass in his hand, "Drink up!" Billy rolled his eyes and started drinking in disappointment.

"Lee, why do you gotta spoil all my fun?" he complained, "And who needs hydration? Hydration's for losers." He took another gulp.

"Yeah it's so loser-y that it makes you live." Liana said sarcastically as she handed Rebecca a glass of water as well, receiving a quick thanks from the cop. Liana gulped down her own glass too as everyone stood in silence as they drank. She noticed Billy's whiskey still sitting by the sink. Out of curiosity she bent over and sniffed it, then cautiously stuck her tongue out to take a taste. The second her tongue touched the liquor, she felt like puking.

"Eww! Ah, gross!" she exclaimed while spitting into the sink and drinking straight from the faucet in attempt to remove the horrifically bitter taste in her mouth. Billy just laughed at her while setting his empty water glass down, "How can you drink that stuff?" Liana asked with a look of sickly disgust on her face before she continued to guzzle water.

"Cuz I'm a man! I can handle firewater. Cuz I need my firewater which you _just _now dumped down the sink you stingy little person!"

"Little? I'm almost as tall as you!" She retorted while giving him a refill on water.

"And I'm hungry too, damn it! I want bacon!" Billy said gruffly.

"Yeah some hot food would really hit the spot." Rebecca said while dreaming of a hot meal.

"Quit talking about meat, you'll make me hungry again." Liana warned.

"Yeah and we don't want to see that, you necrovore." Billy said into his glass during a sip.

"I prefer 'scavenger' thank you, Sir Make-Up-A-Word."

"Yeah, okay, sorry Lee. So, did you find anything in here?" Billy asked.

"Not really, but one of the walls is hollow." Liana answered.

"Really? Where?" Rebecca inquired putting her empty glass down.

"Right over there," she motioned with her head to the wall next to the bar, "Here I'll show you. I found this by accident while you gave your booze lecture." Liana led Rebecca to the wall and slowly walked across it, knocking on it the whole way. They heard a lower tone of the sound for a few feet then the sound went back to normal.

"Nice work, Liana." Rebecca complimented.

"Thank you," she said politely as she scratched an "x" into the wall paper of the hollow spot with the sharp "nail" of her index finger, "But we'll take care of it later because right now is break time."

"Indeed, break time it is," Billy added while rummaging around the cabinets under the counter, "Hey I found some grub!"

"What did you find?" Rebecca asked, walking up.

"Peanuts!" Billy pulled up a basket full of packages of peanuts, "I hope you're not allergic."

"Nope," Rebecca answered taking a package, "Hey Liana, I assume you don't want any."

"True," she said taking a seat on one of the stools, "These aren't made for nuts and stuff," She snapped her jaws at the air next to Rebecca playfully a couple times showing off her sharp set of teeth, "I used to like them though when I had a normal mouth." She rested her chin on her crossed arms, letting out a small melancholy sigh remembering and wishing for the past.

"Hey Becks," Billy said with a mouth full of peanuts, "You said you can play the piano, right?"

"A little, yeah."

"Well how about if you play a tune for us," Billy suggested in hopes to lighten the mood and cheer Liana up by moving the attention of her mind to something else, "Try that piece that's sitting there on the little thinga-ma-jig."

"Well, I'll try but I'm not that good at trying to play something I've never seen," she set her water and peanuts down and sat down on the bench, "Huh, doesn't even have a title and it's pretty short too. Maybe the other pages are missing…Oh well, less to worry about," She looked over the notes for a minute, following them with her fingers playing on the air above the keys, "Okay, here goes nothing."

She slowly tried playing but unfortunately she was very off key most of the time, making Billy and Liana snicker. She came to the last notes, a little finale on the keys with combined notes. It being the most complicated part for her, she stopped a moment trying to put her fingers on the right keys. When she pressed down the sound was the most off-key you could go and very loud and low at the same. Her friends burst out laughing as she got up and sat down on the stool next to Liana, blushing with embarrassment.

"I told you I wasn't that good."

"But you didn't mention you were horrible!" Billy cackled like a crazy old man.

"You're mean!" Rebecca pouted half-playfully, half-irritated.

"Sorry Rebecca, but that really was pretty bad," Liana giggled, "But don't worry I totally would have done worse since piano playing is all Greek to me. But I'm sure if you had some practice on it you'd be really good."

"Thanks." Rebecca acknowledged. Their conversation stopped when they heard the piano again. They turned around and saw Billy playing the piece. His rough hands gently played the piece that sounded like the conclusion of a waltz. Before the girls could say anything, suddenly the hollow part of the wall Liana found moved aside showing a secret cellar.

"Well isn't that a neat trick. Thanks Billy! You saved me the effort of having to break the wall open." Liana smiled.

"You can play the piano?" Rebecca said mostly to herself. After a moment she started cracking up, "You can play the piano!"

"What? Am I weird or something?"

"It's just kind of funny because you're this big bad-boy ex-marine and you play the piano like a dainty little girl."

"What do you want me to play it like a tough guy? That would be horrifying! I'd probably break the piano too."

"I know and it was very loverly, but it still looked kind of funny." Liana chimed in while looking around the dusty cellar. Countless bottles of wine were stacked up on the shelves with barrels in the corner. One of the barrels had eight magnum round sitting on it. At the end of the cellar were more barrels, some empty bottles and a battery.

"Could have used that for the busted elevator if we had to," Liana thought to herself, "Oh well, luckily I'm more useful."

"I found some bullets, they don't look small enough to be for your 9mm pistols though." Liana said holding them out to her comrades.

"Oh yeah those are for .357 magnum! Too bad I don't have one on me though." Billy informed.

"Well I'll keep them for you in case we find some." Liana said pocketing the ammo.

"Alright, so we done here?" Billy asked.

"Yeah pretty much," Liana walked out and to the counter again. She grabbed the tablet, "Here you guys take some nuts," she snagged a handful and stuffed them in Rebecca's fanny pack as full as she could, which wasn't very much because of the cluttered state of her pack, "You'll need some food to get through this seeing as how we have no idea how long we'll be stuck here or investigating or however you want to say it."

"Good idea. Thanks Liana," Rebecca nodded as she slung the grenade launcher over her shoulders again, "So we all ready to keep going?" Her friends gave an affirmative answer, "Alright then let's go." They all walked out of their safe zone and into danger again with their guns ready.

The trio walked down the hall to the rusty metal door. The scent of decay on the other side didn't nearly have the strength a full rotting corpse does, so their minds eased up a bit. They opened it to show a decently lit room with rust, cracked walls, lab equipment and tables. Some super computers sat on the other side of the room. In the middle of a room stood what looked to be a metal booth. Some of the metal tables looked like they had a good dose of dried blood on them, either that or lots of rust.

"Well isn't this a pleasant little place." Billy said sarcastically while he and Rebecca holstered their pistols.

"Well at least there's something useful here." Rebecca said with optimism as she took a first aid spray from the surface of a wooden table to their right. They all walked around the haunting room to see if they could find anything. Rebecca wandered into the booth and saw what looked like an autopsy table. Once again, she couldn't tell if the red stains were rust or loads of old blood. She figured for the worst by seeing a pile of scalpels, forceps, and other tools used by a pathologist. On the other side of the booth sat a wooden table with two handgun clips. She pocketed them and put the red herb under the table into her medpack. She noticed what looked like bone fragments strewn on the floor along with a couple heavily decomposed rats. The bones were nearly picked clean by them it seemed.

"What on earth was going on in here?" Rebecca thought to herself. Much of the facility felt like a cold case and this was no exception, "Rebecca, you probably don't want to know." The whole building stood as a nightmare and it felt like it more so every time she found more of the horrific truth.

"Well, nothing new around here." Liana reported.

"Same here. I think it's time to go to the observatory." Billy suggested. Rebecca nodded and let Liana lead the way out and towards the observatory.

The trio walked towards their destination wondering what they would encounter next. Liana already knew some of it already since she woke up on the other side of the facility. She felt a little like their search ended as a waste of time when they could have moved on faster by using her strength as a short-cut by jumping up on the roof and down to the other side of the observatory. But at least they found ammo and much needed medical supplies. And the break gave some nice bonding time and calmed their nerves from the twisted monsters and experiments done to create them. Liana smiled at the memory of the happenings in the bar for a moment, then looked down at the tablet in her hands.

"Well we might as well use this now," Liana thought to herself, "At this point it would probably be faster than me giving them piggy-backs over the observatory."

They hiked up the stairs to the room with the dead giant insects. The humans couldn't help but feel curious about where Liana woke up.

"Maybe she could show us." They thought. At the same time they felt a little guilty at this idea. They thought it would be as if they were doctors at a mental hospital interested in the behavior of their patients and not caring at all that they had a disorder. But knowing Liana, she would probably not mind and show them everything for the sake of investigating more of the experiments and use it to bust the corporation. Unfortunately, they hadn't kept the evidence they found. They could only carry so much after all. Their own safety was their first priority. That means medical and weapons. Hopefully they could find hard evidence of Liana's case and use that as a backbone for their story. If only they had a camera it would give them harder proof and more of it.

Liana opened up the metal knight door and stepped into the observatory. The walkway around the upper part had boxes stacked up high. The door on the other side was locked, but they hoped that the third tablet would fix that problem. And if not, they always had plan B: Liana. They climbed down the ladder on the side onto the grilling of a floor. A wall of electronics sat opposite the giant telescope and the three hollows for the tablets. Two were filled with the discipline and unity tablets and the other sat empty until Liana set the last one inside. After a moment or two the building jerked, making the three yelp in surprise. They felt it lower down until water nearly seeped through the grating.

They climbed up the ladder and tried the once-locked door to find it open. Rebecca pushed the heavy door open to see a bridge leading across a wide river to a tall church.

"Hey if we lowered down, then what's through the door we came in?" Billy asked as he pushed it open to find out. His eyes widened when he saw a small group of more infected primates in the area where he and Rebecca first found Liana. They screamed at him showing their yellow-toothed mouths dripping with discolored saliva. They raced at him and almost reached him when he slammed the door on them and stumbled backwards. He tried to slow his breathing down and calm his pounding heart as the crazed carriers pounded on the door, futilely trying to open it and reach their tasty-looking prey.

"Careful there, Billy," Liana warned, "Evil monkeys aren't your friend."

"Heh, yeah," Billy smiled awkwardly, "Coming." He trotted back to his friends and readied his pistol for whatever lay outside in the open night.


End file.
